The Chosen Ones
by RedRogue
Summary: They didn't know there was a portal to a magical world right within Spenser's walls. They didn't know they were the sole saviors of that world. Until the Covenant met the Syrens: 3 girls sworn to protect them until they fulfill their destiny... COMPLETE
1. Being Chapter the First

**A/N: No disrespect or plagiarism to my lovely online friend Crickes, who has a OC by one of the same names of one of the OC's I use in here. It could not be avoided, or I would have. This story also has a few loose undertones of the X-Men, but they are subtle… very subtle. In fact, if you can spot them, you can consider yourself a true X-Fan. JEANNIE—I'M SORRY I CAVED AND POSTED EARLY! I was just too excited about this fic and it was killing me. Happy (early) birthday, Kitty! This is for you…**

**-**

**Being chapter the first.**

-

"_Headmistress," a dark-haired individual said with a bowed head. "They sent me to tell you… We found them."_

_A gasp was heard as the centuries-old woman whirled around from her place at the large paned window, her long white hair falling in her face from her abrupt movements._

"_The Covenant? You are sure?"_

"_We're sure. One of our Salem associates report seeing a pair Using their magic."_

"_Thank you, Etrigan. Tell them we are to move at once."_

The boy bowed and left the room. The old woman turned her head back to the window, a smile growing on the edges of her mouth. She then let out a sigh of relief. At last… they found them…

-

Caleb peered over the shelves of books in the library, quite bored of the school assignment before he even started. His search had led him off the path of the usually called upon books, and even those ones he purposely kept in the back rows of the library… the ones concerning him and his Covenant friends. Now he was in those books that hadn't been touched in decades, thick with a layer of dust. Since he was planning on researching obscure mythologies, a book with the name "_New England Folklore and Legends_" stuck out more than the rest. It was an old book, ancient really, perhaps having a green cover once upon a time but was now faded into a dull sage brown. Once he found an empty table, he opened it and began to read somewhere in the middle.

"—_Their secret societies were divided in race and species, the highest and mightiest being the species of hereditary witches and warlocks, with powers passed down through bloodlines…"_

It was fate that brought him to this exact page. There was no other way to explain it. Caleb shifted in his seat with growing interest, and read on carefully…

"_Such power aroused fear in the hearts of the others, and often they would_--"

_SLAM_. Caleb jumped, as suddenly the book slammed shut before his very eyes, a pale, biker-gloved hand pressed firmly upon the top.

"You know what they say about 'all work and no play'," Reid said with a smirk, Tyler and Pogue standing behind him with grins of their own. Reid stood up straight, and snapped his fingers and jabbed his thumb over his shoulder in a motion for Caleb to hurry up and get a move on out the door.

"_Nicky's_, now," Reid commanded. Caleb sighed, but didn't have the heart to argue.

-

_"We are at your command, mistress," said one of the three girls that stood before the older woman, all in a row with their hands behind their backs in respect. "We will bring them back to you as soon as we are able."_

_"They are usually found at a local bar, a popular place for Spenser's teenagers to gather. Look for them there."_

_One of the three girls that stood before the older woman leaned to the friend next to her._

_"A bar? Ooo… this should be fun."_

_"And girls?" the old woman said seriously. All three girls paid close attention._

_"Do hurry."_

-

Fin fluffed her ear-length red hair outward, trying to preserve that nice feathery flip it was styled to do. She turned the small glass of Jack Daniels in her palm, and let her brown eyes graze over the faces in the crowd of dancers, game-players, drinkers and all the loiterers in _Nicky's Bar_. Bringing her drink to her lips, she thought of the briefing the Mistress Sybilla had given her before they had made the trip over here. The boys they were supposed to be looking for were eighteen, handsome, healthy. Went to Spenser Academy. That's pretty much all the information they had.

To the stool on her left, sat one of her dearest friends and comrades, Ro, who was currently chugging down the drinks like she would never get one again. Ro was a bit of an alcoholic when given the opportunity, and opportunities like this didn't come often. Fin just sat back and let Ro have her fun. It wasn't hurting anything, and it wouldn't have an affect on their mission all the same… so who was she to stop her? Fin was just surprised that Ro's drinking habits didn't affect her figure. It would be a shame for a figure like Ro's to be messed with anyway. Ro was the sexy beauty of the bunch, curvaceous in all the right places. Fin was not devoid of a figure herself, but Ro knew better how to flaunt hers. Fin didn't care much in the way of her looks. She had a man waiting for her back home and she didn't need to impress anyone else. Why bother primping?

Ro scooted back her blunt bangs away from her face, to join the rest of her wavy dark brown hair riddled with chunky, bold white highlights. Ro had been born with those streaks that, to her, made her look ridiculous, as if she had spilled a can of white paint on her head. Ro looked at Fin expectantly through eyes green enough to stand out from across a room, waiting for her verdict.

"That one there," Fin announced, pointing toward a boy with long, curly brown hair and a seemingly harsh disposition. "Work your magic, Ro."

Ro scoped out her target. Once satisfied, she downed one more glass of ale for the road, then wiped her mouth and swaggered off in the boy's direction.

"No pun intended, right?" Kitty who was sitting on the stool on the other side of Fin, asked curiously.

"Okay," Fin admitted. "Maybe a _little_ pun was intended."

Kitty was a petite, young little sprite, tiny and thin though hardly fragile. She had the face to do justice to her namesake, with big, slanted, cat-like blue eyes and a cute, freckled, upturned nose. Her mousy, fluffy brown hair was forever forced back into a high ponytail, but unruly little locks of hair would also find their way back into her face.

Kitty was the biggest walking contradiction that Fin had ever met. Not only was she a Valley girl from the suburbs of Illinois, but she also loved to be ditzy and flighty when everyone knew she could do advanced math inside her head. She acted like she had the IQ of a ten-year-old when here she was qualifying for high-level missions, having skipped two grades in school and landing in senior year alongside of them at the tender age of sixteen. She was Fin's other closest friend in the world, alongside of Ro.

They were closer than sisters, the three of them, having faced hardships together that others would only imagine. They were each other's lifelines, support group even, and they shared a bond that no one would ever comprehend. Fin wouldn't trade it for the world.

Fin herself was their leader by default, being the oldest. She was also the most sensible and forward-minded of them, knowing the times for having fun and the time to get serious. Then again, she did have a flaming temper that got in the way of that sensible head more often than necessary. Patience was not one of her strong suits. Though this mission was of the utmost importance, it didn't stop her from having a few drinks and letting her thoughts stray to her fiancée waiting for her back home. She missed him already, and hoped deeply that he wasn't getting himself in trouble, that darn Canadian.

"Name's Aaron Abbott," Ro came back after a few minutes, speaking in her heavy Southern drawl. "Frisky li'l fellah. Right age, goes to Spenser, but he's not magically inclined."

"How do ya figure?" Kitty asked.

"If he was, he'd be usin' his power to heal himself after I shoved my knee up where the sun don't shine."

"You insist on looking like a million dollars and you _wonder_ why the boys get fresh," Fin said, shaking her head at Ro's naivety.

"Here it comes," Ro rolled her eyes. "The 'Ro's a ho' speech…"

Kitty clapped her hands excitedly.

"Oh, this one _never_ gets old!"

"Oh, be quiet, Kit," Ro snapped at the little one. "Someday you'll be old enough to—OHH!"

Ro shoved her short skirt back down to cover her black panties after a random gust of wind blew it up for the world to see underneath. Ro immediately checked the floor to see if a vent was the culprit, but saw that there was only solid floor beneath her. That's when she scanned the crowd. If she had waited a second longer she would have missed it: three boys together, the blonde one stuffing money into his pocket and the other two looking sorely disappointed.

"Bingo," she muttered to the others. "We have our warlocks."

"The saviors of our known world…" Fin added, noticing them too. "And they're _perverts_."

"What teenage boys aren't?" Kitty retorted looking off to another group in the distance. "Kinda scrawny for Chosen Ones, aren't they?"

"They're over there, Kat," Ro said, grabbing Kitty's chin and directing her gaze.

"Oh!" Kitty said more approvingly. "They're cute!"

Ro reassessed the boys at this comment, and realized that Kitty was right.

"Oh, dang," Ro muttered in her impressed way. "That blonde one… Oh, yeah, how you doin'…?"

Fin laughed—Ro always said that when she spotted a hottie. She always had a thing for blondes, too. Ro's face blanked as she met his gaze, her breath catching in her throat. He winked at her and went back to his pool game. That's when Ro fluffed her hair and straightened her shirt, and said rather determinedly:

"Well, com'on, ya'll, we have a job to do."

Fin and Kitty looked at one another and rolled their eyes, but followed. Ro walked confidently up to the group of boys, who had delved back into a very serious round of pool. Just as the blonde was about to shoot, Ro slapped her hand on the cue ball, and leaned right up in his face.

"Hey there," Ro said sweetly. "That stunt ya'll pulled back there was a severe abuse of power. One of you fellah's wanna tell me which one of ya did it?"

The blonde snorted.

"I think I speak for all three of us when I say I haven't got the _slightest_ idea of what you sexy skanks are talking about."

"Oh, _no_?" Fin nodded stepped up with confrontational advancement, but Ro pushed her back behind her immediately.

"Calm down, Fin. Not here."

"I think what my friend here is trying to say," Kitty piped up. "Is like, you don't have any secrets with us, you know?"

"We're aware of what ya'll are," Ro added on, her eyes locked on the blonde. "In fact, I think we know more about what ya are than you do yourselves."

The tall, long haired one exchanged glances with the blonde, a glimmer of worry in their eyes. Their apparent concern was put aside quickly though, and once again the blonde made light of the situation:

"These lovelies need some serious help."

"It's almost pitiful," the youngest agreed. Their long haired friend laughed.

"And I think I'm just the guy to give it to them," the blonde said decidedly, stepping up to Ro with strong, flirtatious advancement. Ro smirked to hide her flushing cheeks.

"You wanna give it to me?" Ro repeated with a snicker.

Fin stepped in-between them, something boiling at their insistent denial of what they all knew was fact.

"Let's just take them by force, Ro, it'll be faster that way," Fin said hastily, stomping at the youngest boy so abruptly it made him stumble backwards a bit in fear. Fin glared at the blonde with spite, having not forgiven him yet for that 'skanks' comment. "Less hassle too," she finished.

"Be about the love, Fin," Kitty coaxed.

"See, we'd like to believe you three," the long haired, muscular boy commented. "But your breath stinks so bad with liquor that it's hard to believe _any_thing that comes out of your mouth."

"Not mine!" Kitty argued with pride.

"Look," Fin said impatiently. "Just grab your fourth Covenant member and give us five minutes alone to talk, and we'll explain everything. After that, you can decide for yourselves."

The youngest boy looked to his friends to see if they were thinking the same thing as him.

"How did you know about the Covenant?" he asked with a hint of fear.

"Like we said," Ro retorted. "We're aware of what ya'll are."

There was silence in the midst of the loud music and chattering people that surrounded them. A staring contest was conducted for several moments. The long haired one was the first to speak.

"I'll call Caleb."

-

**A new album has been put up for this story, with two of the three girls pics up now. The link is on my profile page, as always. Just click on _'The Chosen Ones Album'_. Please leave comments on the pics and please review!  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	2. Being Chapter the Second

**Being chapter the second.**

-

After introductions were made and Caleb was caught up on all things concerning the girls, Caleb took them to the colony house to head to their basement/sanctuary. Gorman was just sitting down to eat dinner when they walked in, and one by one each boy waved to him casually as they walked past.

"Hey, Gorman."

"Hi, Gorman."

"'Sup, G."

"How's it goin', Mr. Twoberry?"

Gorman didn't notice the three girls heading in behind them, and it was a good thing too. Caleb didn't feel like having to explain the situation to him.

When they were all downstairs and settled, each Covenant member in their respective thrones, while Ro and Kitty squeezed together on the spare seat and Fin preferred to stand anyhow, that's when Caleb began to speak.

"So, why don't you start by telling us how in the world you found out about the Covenant?"

"They seriously don't have a clue, Fin!" Kitty exclaimed in disbelief. "This is suddenly awkward."

"No joke?" Reid shot back.

"Quiet!" Caleb commanded, anxious to hear Fin's answer to his question.

"Do you know why your Covenant was formed of Silence, Caleb?" Fin asked very simply.

"Because of the Salem Witch Trails," Caleb retorted as-a-matter-of-factly.

"That was only half the reason," Fin shook her head. "Those trails were brought on by one man who crossed over, and through many deaths, wrongly attained unnatural magic."

"He was really icksome," Kitty added.

"He caused a lot of deaths on this side as well, and he was eventually caught and burned, but the damage had been done. Our kind was discovered and universal panic arose, thus sparking the Trials. Everyone went into hiding, including your families, who got together and formed the Covenant. You lost contact with our world over the generations, and we've been trying to track you down ever since."

"Your 'world'?" Pogue repeated. "What 'world' are you talking about?"

Fin exchanged glances with the other girls, who were smirking to themselves. Ro shook her head, advising Fin against going in to detail just yet.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Fin replied. "You're going to have to see it for yourselves."

"Okay," Reid threw up his hands. "I've heard enough crap for one day. One can only listen to hot girls talk jibberish for so long."

"You think we're hot?" Kitty blushed. Fin elbowed her to stop being silly.

"So what's so special about us?" Tyler asked. "I mean, why were you guys trying so hard for all these years to find us?"

"A prediction was made a while back," Ro answered for Fin. "That Roarden would come around again someday. Well, he's been back for a while now. Accordin' to the prophesy, ya'll are the only ones who have the power t' kill him before he makes slaves of us all."

"Wait, why _us_?" Caleb asked.

"Because Roarden was like, the one who gave your families power in the first place," Kitty replied. "He was trying to make you henchmen for his own use. What the dork didn't realize that he gave you all bits of his _own_ power."

"According to history," Fin went on. "When he figured out that he had created beings that would be his own undoing, he tried to curse your power so that it would eventually kill you with use. Is that still true to you?"

Caleb nodded. His expression was contemplative, his brow furrowed in deep thought, trying to digest what this woman was telling him.

"I had always wondered why the Book of Damnation didn't record before the Trials," Caleb pondered. "You may just be telling the _truth_…"

"Well," Ro said with a smirk. "What if we told ya we knew somebody that could _adios_ that li'l curse a' yours?"

Three boys immediately looked to their oldest for his judgment call, their faces surprised yet hopeful. Caleb still had his doubts, and peered over the girls each in turn, wondering if there was still a chance that they were lying. He knew in his heart that they weren't solely by Fin's unwavering gaze looking back at him expectantly. So he gave in. It sounded too good to be true, but it was more than worth a shot.

"I'd say: show us."

"Alright then," Fin said, motioning for Ro and Kitty to get up from their seat. "First thing tomorrow we'll meet back at Spenser campus. We'll get a hotel room while you boys go home and pack."

Pogue looked around at the others.

"Hey, I don't know about you guys, but I have a strict prep school to attend in the morning."

"Pogue's right," Caleb agreed. "No time like the present."

"We shouldn't leave them alone anyway," Ro said, not taking her eyes off Reid. "We don't know if Roarden is after them too."

"That's true," Fin heartily agreed. "We're supposed to be protecting you. I'll go with Parry-- Kitty, you take Danvers. Sims and Garwin live together, right?"

"Hey, we don't need _protection_," Reid insisted as they made ready to leave.

"Aww, sugah," Ro flirted, grazing her hand across Reid's shoulder. "Then how about I just come along for the ride?"

Reid's face shifted, the annoyance floating away and amusement taking its place, a grin growing across his features.

"You want along for the 'ride', huh?" he repeated with appreciation.

Fin rolled her eyes, knowing that Ro was probably still drunk. She got dirty when she was drunk. They left together after Kitty skipped out with Caleb. Fin grabbed at the young one before he could leave.

"Hey, Sims, you live with that Garwin kid, right? Could you--?"

"—Hey," he threw up his hands in surrender. "Your girl, your responsibility. Reid would viciously _murder_ me if I stopped him from scoring some play."

"Thanks for the help…" Fin grumbled.

"Don't worry," Pogue teased. "Reid will be gentle."

Fin frowned up at the much taller man. When one was 5'2", pretty much everyone was taller.

"Imagine my relief," she replied sarcastically. She trailed behind him as they walked to his motorcycle. "Expensive bike," she noticed.

Pogue laughed as he pulled his key chain out of his pocket.

"Some say it looks cool too."

Fin backtracked immediately.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that. It's just not often you see a boy with a bike that costs more than some cars."

"What can I say?" Pogue said modestly as he strapped on his helmet. "My folks love me. You know bikes, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, I've always been a sucker for a biker guy."

"That so?" Pogue looked at her with a renewed interest as he held out the spare helmet like a bouquet of flowers. Fin quickly backtracked again.

"Sure, my fiancée collects them-- Bikes, I mean, not biker guys."

Pogue frowned and swung his leg over the seat, faint disappointment clouding the edges of his tone.

"Yeah," he said meekly. "My girlfriend, she loves them too."

Fin smirked her amusement as she climbed on the seat behind him, and held the hand straps on the seat tightly. The boy was nothing if not transparent, and it struck her funny. She was flattered for his interest, seeing as he was quite handsome, but she had no desire to act upon it in any way. She had her dream man waiting for her back where they were headed, and she didn't see herself ever switching up.

-

Kitty stared in amazement as they entered the Danvers Mansion. Such vast beauty left her speechless. She planned on being entertained for a good long time while Caleb gathered his things. Awestruck, she sought to touch the closest piece of art she could lay her hands on.

"Don't!" Caleb saved her fingers from touching it just in the nick of time. "Touch that," he finished. "Com'on, why don't you come with me… so you don't cause trouble."

Kitty was insulted by this, and frowned. She pulled her hand out of Caleb's grasp. Or rather, _through_ his grasp.

Caleb stared down at his hand in shock. Did he really just see what he thought he saw?

"Oh, like you couldn't do that _too_," Kitty stuck out her tongue at him and continued on up the stairs.

"Not like that," Caleb argued as he followed. "Are you a witch?"

"Well, only if you treat me badly," Kitty joked. "No, seriously? I'm part of the Undead department."

Caleb frowned at her in confusion, not quite sure he understood. Even still, he opened the door to his room and allowed her passage first.

"A ghost-girl!" Kitty explained as if Caleb was just being silly, helping herself to a seat on his chair. "I can go invisible, fly, go through walls, all that stuff. You didn't think your magics were like, the _only_ magics, did you?"

Caleb paused in his closet search for his overnight bag to give her a strange look.

"Up until recently I thought the Covenant was a secret too."

Kitty shrugged in sad agreement.

"So what kind of other magics should I expect out there?" Caleb said, stuffing a few shirts in the bag.

"Oooh," Kitty shook her head sorrowfully. She caught his eye and said very seriously. "I don't think you're ready to know that yet…"

Caleb narrowed his eyes in utter bewilderment, thoroughly weirded-out by now.

-

Reid insisted on Ro taking front seat on the way back to Spenser, as he himself demanded the keys from Tyler and drove. Tyler wasn't too happy about it, and pouted in the backseat the whole trip. Especially since Reid and Ro were giving each other dirty looks the whole ride.

Once through the halls and up the stairs to their dorm room, Reid stuffed the keys in the lock in quite a hurry, kicked open the door. He went straight to his bed, snatching a messenger bag from underneath the mattress, yanking the top drawer out from his dresser, and proceeding to carelessly dump the contents into the bag. Tyler took his time grabbing various shirts and pants off the floor.

"So what do you do?" Tyler asked, staring at her as they worked. Ro jerked up her head from staring at Reid's backside to give him attention, as if snapping out of a trance.

"Sorry?"

"You said you and your friends weren't from our world. Is there something special that you do?"

"I'm a Titan," Ro replied, sifting through her purse and taking out a small silver flask with a Queen of Hearts printed on the front. She took a quick drink and replaced it where it had come from. "Invincibility, heightened strength."

"Nice," Tyler replied with approval. Reid zipped his bag closed and left it behind to go over to Ro, standing by the bathroom doorway. He rubbed her shoulder gently.

"I do something special too," Reid said with a chuckle. "We ever get a moment alone… maybe I'll show ya."

Ro smirked in amusement but didn't reply.

"Gag me," Tyler muttered, angrily grabbing an orange sweater out of Reid's bag and cramming it in his own.

"Hey, Baby Boy," Reid said, motioning to the door with his head with a strong hint. "Why don't we catch up with you later, huh?"

"But I'm not finished--"

"We'll catch up with you later, Ty," he repeated very sternly, as Ro gazed lovingly at Reid, teetering a bit in her stance.

"Yeah, yeah, I get the drill," Tyler grumbled, swinging his bag over his shoulder and heading for the door. He stopped when he neared it, his conscience taking over, being reminded what Fin had said to him before they had left.

"Reid," Tyler turned back around with a sigh. "She's smashed."

"I'm aware of that, Tyler."

"So, it's not fair to--"

"What's not fair is if I don't break your neck in twenty different places if you say another word," Reid threatened over his shoulder with a strong tone of warning.

"Yeah, life isn't fair," Tyler replied, shaking his head with a frustrated sigh, before exiting out the room.

-

**Please review!  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	3. Being Chapter the Third

**Being chapter the third.**

-

Tyler fingered through a library book to pass the time, as he waited for Reid at the bottom of the stairs, just inside the front door of Spenser. Out the window, he could see the clouds were starting to gather, which meant more rain any moment now… Rain in Ipswich, what a shocker. He dived back into his book, but found it hard to concentrate through his mild anger.

Tyler sometimes hated Reid, especially at times like these. Kicking Tyler out of the dorm, just so he could have good times with the hot drunken new girl, Ro.

Minutes fell off the clock and the rain came and went. He was glad he had the good sense to keep indoors. Tyler rubbed his arms, suddenly feeling a little chilly. It was then he noticed that he was seeing his own breath come out of his mouth. Odd…

Then he swore he heard faint footsteps down the hall, but when he jerked his head to see in that direction, there was nothing. Tyler closed his book, a little creeped out by the feeling that someone was close by.

"Hello?" Tyler called out into the hall. A loud _CRACK_ was heard through the silent hall, and a bright flash like lightning came from around a far corner. A strange red mist floated into view, smelling something awful that made Tyler cough through the strong odor of sulfur and rotting corpses. Through it, strolled a tall, thin man, white in skin and black in hair. Striped tattoos creeped out from his collar to his neck. His hands bore long, pointed black nails that frightened Tyler a bit at the sight. He held his hands folded together at his chest, his eyes kind and his mouth into a slightly eerie smile that seemed unbecoming of his face.

"Hellooo, Sims…" the man greeted in a voice that was forced yet gentle, as if the man was hissing through a bad case of Laryngitis.

Tyler was on his feet in an instant, hating Reid even more now for leaving him alone.

"Who are you?" Tyler asked. "How do you know my name?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised how many people know your name, Sims…" the man hissed on, waving his hand about to emphasize his point as he walked slowly closer to the boy. "Little do you knooow… where I'm from, you're famous! You _and_ your Covenant brothers, of course."

"You still haven't told me who the hell you are."

"I am but a hummmble admirer who comes to you from the other side. I am offering you… the world."

Tyler furrowed his brow in suspicion as the older man went on.

"Where you will find some other magic is sadly limited, mine is very much limit_less_. I can give such power to you, oh yes… and I can take it away… such as that powerful curse you bear."

Tyler perked up with interest.

"You can do that?"

"With the blink of an eye, as a thief in the night. For me, it is simple. But! You must be _willing_."

Tyler was silent, deep in thought. The possibility of Using the Power without limitations or consequences… it was too good to be true. Though, one look at him and Tyler could find many reasons not to trust this creepy old man.

The man put a firm hand upon Tyler's shoulder.

"Give it a good think, son, think on it hard. You make your decision, just Use and call my name."

"You haven't told me your name yet," Tyler pointed out.

The red mist followed the man as he drifted back around the corner.

"Roarden," he replied, as the loud _CRACK_ sounded through the hall, the blinding light flashed again, and the man was gone.

As if on cue, the others poured in from outside, Kitty skipping in first calling out:

"We have arrived!"

They soon noticed Tyler's bewildered expression, but got quickly distracted by sniffing the foul air with immediate distaste.

"What were you smoking, Tyler?" Pogue asked.

"I know this smell," Fin observed, her mind racing to place it.

"Me too," Kitty agreed, doing the same.

In the meantime, Caleb rushed to Tyler's side.

"What happened—where's Reid?" Caleb interrogated.

"Right here," Reid said, arriving down the stairway just in time. An unconscious Ro was being cradled carefully in his arms. "Ro passed out while we were packing."

Tyler snapped out of his shock to look up at Reid with frown of unbelief. Fin was the only one who noticed. Fin sighed. She wouldn't be the least bit surprised seeing as Ro was known for passing out on several inopportune occasions, but something about the look on Tyler's face made her believe that there was more to Reid's story than he was letting on. Even still, she didn't openly accuse him for it, seeing as she saw no point. But she would not let him get away with this. She glared daggers his way and made sure he saw it.

"Let's get going," she said boldly. "We're on a tight schedule."

Fin began to walk off deeper down the hall, Kitty close at her heels.

"Hey," Caleb called after them with confusion. "The exit… it's _this_ way."

"We're not trying to get out," Kitty replied. "We're trying to get _in_."

Confused but not knowing how to argue, the boys followed after them in single file. A few twists and turns later, and Fin pulled out a pair of keys from her jacket, hanging from a little metal keychain with a strange symbol on it. A sort of rounded 'A' with a strike through it.

"What are those for?" Pogue asked.

"Janitor's closet," Fin replied, her statement making Kitty giggle.

"Pop quiz," Fin said as they took another turn, the halls becoming darker and more abandoned with every corner they passed. "Who knows what special history lies within Spenser's walls?"

"It used to be an underground haven for slaves at the turn of the century," Caleb replied promptly. "Gorman was telling me that his grandfather ran it."

"It didn't 'used to be'," Fin countered. "It still _IS_."

Fin stopped at a large janitor's door, dingy and old with the paint chipping and faded. Caleb also thought he saw singe marks near the handle. Fin put the key into the door's lock, and pushed aside the brown, beat-up sign that said: _Storage Room #88_. Behind the sign was a small symbol like the one on the key chain, upon which Fin put her thumb and pressed like a button. She opened the door easily then, and motioned for them to follow her. The four boys stepped inside the small closet, utterly confused. The space was barely large enough to hold them all. Shelves of bleach, various soaps, towels and scrub brushes surrounded them.

"Daaang, this is _awesome_," Reid said in what Caleb thought was sarcasm.

"Well, this would be great if we wanted to get some _cleaning_ done!" Tyler joked cynically.

"I don't get it," Kitty said with confusion, patting her hands against solid walls. "Where's the corridor?"

"Right there, what are you talking about?" Reid said, motioning with his head over at a mop in the corner. The other boys looked at him as if he had randomly stated that he was voting for Hilary Clinton.

"And I thought _Tyler_ was smoking somethin'," Pogue muttered.

"Oh, I forgot," Fin sighed. "We can't see it because we're in the presence of outsiders. These guys don't have natural magic, so they can see it either."

"Then how come Reid--?" Caleb started to ask.

"--Reid can see it because he's holding onto one of us," Fin replied, motioning to the unconscious Ro in Reid's arms. "So you all should do the same."

Pogue looked wary, but was the first to reach out his hand. He grabbed onto Fin's arm firmly, and as soon as his skin touched hers, he gasped. This encouraged Caleb to put his hand on Ro's shoulder, and Tyler to reach for Kitty's hand.

Caleb gasped immediately, but Tyler was too busy smiling at Kitty as he inched his hand over. She blushed madly as he let his fingers slip into hers.

"Look at it…" Caleb breathed. "Have you ever seen anything like it?"

Tyler was about to reply, when his eyes caught sight of his surroundings. The room had shifted from a tight little closet to a massive aisle with arched cathedral ceilings. The pillars were made of red marble stone, and the floors were tiled with wood panels. Sculptures of various people of all genders, sizes, and statures stood on inscribed pedestals on either side of the room. In awe, Caleb went up to the nearest stone statue, of a pudgy, frightened woman.

"The Hall of Remembrance," Fin explained, stepping up to admire the statue with Caleb. "That's Horlel Constance. The first ever victim of Roarden. Her name means: 'we will press on', in the old language."

"Who's this?"

Fin turned around to face Pogue, who was pointing at an abnormally tall man with long hair and a small goatee. He was hiding behind a massive shield, and held a strange fork-like item in his hand that Pogue assumed was some sort of weapon.

"Jon-Luc Marceaux," Fin replied. "Roarden had his Gorgon girlfriend of the time, Medusa, look at him and turn him to stone."

"Who's this hot lady with the snakes for hair?" Reid asked, motioning to the next statue down.

"That would be Medusa. She caused hundreds of people's deaths before she was finally beheaded. Most of the people are now statues kept in a field miles from here."

"You said Roarden used to date her?" Caleb asked with a thoughtful tone. "Wouldn't Roarden be stone then too?"

"Good question!" Kitty piped up. "I had wondered the same thing when I first got here. But normal magic doesn't have any effect on a big bad guy like Roarden. That's why your Covenant is so special. Your magic is unnatural."

"Because we got our Power right from Roarden?" Tyler guessed, seemingly deep in thought.

"Now you're catching on!" Kitty laughed.

At the end of the hall and through a large arched doorway, they were next in a huge round room, glowing in it's center with blue light that came from a large, whiteish hemisphere the size of half a tennis court. A fence was around the glowing blue orb, surrounding the crater it resided in.

"What the hell?" Reid was the first to say. On the surface of the orb, shapes began to form, the swirling pearl mists coming together to form square shapes.

"The Directory Room," Fin explained some more. "Shows all the rooms of the House, and even most of Spenser's too."

"Look!" Tyler pointed excitedly. "It's Aaron's room! And that must be Aaron!"

At the mention of Aaron's name, the map zoomed closer to that room, to allow better viewing.

"This thing will show you a lot more than that, but we don't have time to teach you how to use it; we gotta keep moving."

She went around the other side of the room, to a massive wooden door with gigantic metal handles. Fin sighed in frustration.

"This thing is so annoying. Usually Ro opens it, because it's so darn heavy. Step aside-- I'll have to do it."

Caleb and the other's stepped back and let the woman work. They watched in amazement as Fin's eyes went black like theirs, and even sparked ablaze. The ancient door creaked and complained as it was forced open against it's will, and the boys could see plainly that the door was over two feet thick in pure wood. The harder Fin worked, the more her eyes were consumed by flame, until the sockets where her eyes would be were only two pillars of fire.

"You _could_ help, you know," Fin snapped harshly, and Kitty immediately ran up and helped push the door. Tyler, Pogue, and Caleb soon joined her, while Reid stayed on the sidelines holding Ro's limp body.

"Com'on, put your backs into it!" Fin shouted like a slave driver cracking a whip.

"Fin gets a little mean when she's in the 'Fire' mode," Kitty explained to the boys under her breath. "It's part of her power—it sort of possesses her into something else."

They nodded in understanding. Soon they had the door open just enough to properly allow a person though, and Kitty immediately went in. Fin halted her power abruptly, inhaling roughly as she did so. After a moment or so, she seemed right as rain.

"Com'on," she motioned to the boys. "You're just getting to the best part."

-

**Please review!  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	4. Being Chapter the Fourth

**Being chapter the fourth.**

-

"This is so exciting!" Kitty exclaimed as Caleb went to go through the door first. His Covenant brothers followed suit after him. "I mean, _we're_ the ones who find the Covenant--"

"As Sybilla predicted," Fin added.

"_We're_ the ones to bring them back, _we're_ the ones to re-introduce them to our world! I mean, what an honor…"

Caleb entered first, and immediately he saw what was beyond that door. He felt as if he had entered into another time, both future and way past. Everything was made of stone and wood, though built as if the greatest architectures of the future had gotten together and designed this strange place. He walked on a wide bridge made of stone, on either side of him was a giant pit, with spiraling stone stairs built into the walls. A closer look told him that there were rooms in those walls, most likely housing chambers. Over the bridge, Caleb saw an arched door that led to a library on his left, while on the right side another archway led to a gymnasium. Above the archways were a staircase each, leading to more dorms. Dead ahead was a sort of lobby, with an even larger open archway leading to stairs. Down those stairs were massive log tables, telling Caleb it was a dining hall.

People and strange creatures were everywhere. An Asian woman with bright purple hair was in the gymnasium with an animal-like creature that reminded Caleb of Big Foot. In the library, a woman with pale blonde hair and clothed all in white, let out a faint glow when her eyes met Caleb's. To her right, there was a red demon reading a book, before he saw Caleb looking his way and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Uhh, Fin?" Caleb asked a little warily. "What is this place?"

"This," she said rather proudly. "Is the _real_ Spenser Academy: we call it the Spenser Unified Guild. It's the oldest of the magical housings--"

"--Who's this?" said a loud voice from behind them, so harsh and deep that is made everyone jump. A short, burly fellow stood before them, gruff but handsome, probably in his mid thirties. His face was stern and not friendly at all.

"This is the Covenant, James!" Kitty replied excitedly.

"That so?" James said, his voice low and growling, scanning them over. "Kinda sissy-looking aren't they?"

"Hey, who you callin'--" Reid started, but Caleb pushed him back with a "Reid, don't."

Fin was already stepping forward by then.

"Hey, James," she said with a warm smile, embracing the man fondly. "Hey, do me a favor and take Ro up to her room?"

"She's been hitting the bottle too hard again?" James guessed, taking her from Reid's arms easily. Reid sighed in relief from the load off.

"You know her," Fin said with a sigh. "Make sure no one sees you, huh? If Sybilla finds out Ro passed out on the job she'll have her head."

"Sure thing, Darlin'," James agreed. He didn't get to say much more, seeing as a large group of students, led by the once-vanishing devil, who was pointing in their direction excitedly. James turned and walked off without even saying goodbye, not wanting to stick around to see what was obviously coming.

"This is the Covenant?" the demon-man said with a broad, fanged smile. When Fin nodded, he, along with the large crowd he brought with him, rushed forward like a mob. Everywhere around the Covenant boys, strange creatures and humanoids were grabbing their hands and shaking them enthusiastically. Caleb was barely able to catch what they were all saying at once.

"It's an honor, truly--!"

"_Great_ to meet you--!"

"At last you're finally --!"

"Can't say how much we're glad--!"

Tyler caught Kitty's eye, who was beaming his way as if to say: "See? I told you so."

"Alright, people, step aside!" Fin moderated, parting the crowd to allow them passage. "There is plenty of time for questions later. Right now, they have to see Sybilla."

The crowd seemed disappointed, but understanding, and let them go.

There were a few more doors and archways that Caleb wouldn't have time to explore, since Fin was already leading them through the dining hall and out the back door. Caleb realized that somehow, this building-within-a-building had an outside area, though bright and cheerful, unlike Ipswich weather. There were places set up for target practice and sparring, with a few more strange beings and people making use of them. Another few buildings were spread out in various bunches, and Fin led them to a particular one that was surrounded by lush gardens. A cobblestone path led them to a room fill with armor and weapons upon the walls.

"This way," Fin prompted them to keep moving. Caleb didn't even see another winding staircase on the right, and couldn't help wondering if it had been there before. They followed her all the way up, to a large loft, with shelves of books lining the walls. A burning fireplace was off to the left, and stairs leading up to a broad window overlooking the grounds stood before them. This is where an old woman stood, with long white hair and a tall, thin figure. Her very presence demanded respect, the air about her giving off a regal vibe.

"Take a seat," her husky voice said, motioning to the old green armchairs at her left. Kitty and Fin preferred to stand, while the four boys sat down where she had told them.

"So you are the Covenant," she said, still staring out the window. "Such a handsome bunch."

Caleb wondered how she knew that, since she hadn't looked their way since they had come in. No sooner had he thought this, when her head turned toward him, letting their eyes meet. Her eyes were completely white. In her left hand, she held a cane. That could mean only one thing…

"Yes," she replied to his thoughts. "I am blind. But I see more than you will ever know."

Caleb was taken aback at this statement, but believed it instantly. He looked to his fellow Covenant members to see how they were taking all this. Pogue was very interested in everything this room had to offer, Sybilla most of all. Tyler seemed like he was trying not to be too impressed, while Reid seemed to not to be buying any of this.

Sybilla stepped forward to shake each of their hands, and Caleb admired the old woman's beauty, even through her obvious age. She had lovely copper skin that was a dark contrast to her white hair, and she wore long purple, pink, and yellow robes that were a bold contrast to both.

"I am Sybilla, mistress of this facility. Let me be the first to say that I am _honored_ by your presence here."

Pogue passed a smile Caleb's way, letting Caleb know what he was thinking: it felt good to be so appreciated.

"And where is Ro?" she asked expectantly to whoever would answer. Kitty became preoccupied with the ceiling.

"She's…" Fin started, not knowing how to handle this one. "Uh…"

"She's going to see me as soon as she wakes up," Sybilla said decidedly. "This matter is far to important to be overlooked again."

Fin nodded, frowning for her friend's fortune. Sybilla turned back to the Covenant, sitting on four chairs set up in a square, Caleb and Pogue sitting in the first row, Tyler and Reid behind them in the second.

"There is much to tell you," Sybilla said with a warm smile. "This is your first time to Aromisia, yes?"

"You mean to this side of a storage closet?" Reid piped up from behind Caleb. "Yeah, it is."

Caleb turned around in his chair and backhanded Reid in the chest in punishment for his disrespect.

"We're just wondering what this place is," Pogue explained for them. "I mean, this is kind of overwhelming."

"Yes," Sybilla agreed with a nod of understanding. "I would imagine."

Sybilla strolled over to a large chair opposite them, and took a seat.

"This place is many things. It can serve as a boarding house, a school, a place of refuge… It's whatever you wish of it. Magical beings from all over the world travel here. Just to be among beings like them. Some, like Fin, have never even lived anywhere else. You may feel welcome here anytime, and stay, or not stay, as long as you like. But it is crucial that if you do decide to step off our grounds that you allow our pre-selected Guardians to accompany you wherever you go."

"We're capable of protecting ourselves," Caleb piped up.

"Not against this," Sybilla argued with a smile. She turned to Fin and Kitty. "Escort them back to their homes, girls. Take Lysander along with you to cover the fourth boy. They have a long day of classes in the morning."

"She means Guild classes, not Spenser classes," Kitty whispered.

"After being in a human school your entire life, you have a lot of catching up to do in your education," Sybilla said decidedly. "Have a good night, gentlemen."

"But ma'am…" Fin started.

"I know you are to be married soon," Sybilla insisted sternly. "But considering that these four boys carry the fate of our known world in their hands, it shall have to wait."

Fin suddenly turned to the boys with distaste in her eyes, but put aside her feelings and waved them to follow her out.

-

"'Human school'?" Reid repeated scoffingly as they went back down the stairs to the main lobby. "She might as well have started calling us 'Muggles'. Someone give me a spoon—I'm digging a tunnel out of Oz right _now_…"

"It's not so bad once you get used to the idea," Tyler argued. "It's kinda nice being so famous, everybody respecting you so much…"

"Nice change for you, _isn't_ it, Baby Boy?" Pogue slapped a hand on his young friend's shoulder. Tyler threw him a harsh look in reply.

"Well," Fin said. "We need to fetch Ro and Lysander—we can't go without them."

"Oh, why don't we split up, then," Kitty said with a nod. "I'll take Tyler with me and the rest of you can go meet the _lovely_ Lysander."

It wasn't hard for the boys to sense sarcasm in Kitty's tone.

"Why don't you take Reid too, Kit?" Fin said with a smile, glancing tantalizingly at Reid. "I think he might have a heart attack if he doesn't see Ro again soon."

Reid shrugged with a smirk, not having any base to argue on.

"Pogue, Caleb, you come with me then," Fin said, waving them off.

-

**Please review!  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	5. Being Chapter the Fifth

**A/N: Wow. Pretty much: holy crapness. It was four in the morning and I was updating two stories at the same time and ended up updating both stories with the WHW's newest chapter. Sorry for the mix-up. This is one of my fav chapters so far too and I totally screwed it up. Anyway, read on…**

**-**

**Being chapter the fifth.**

-

Tyler and Reid trailed behind Kitty, who was humming to herself and walking rather fast for such a small girl. They stopped at her room for her to pack a few things for her trip.

"So, Reid," Tyler hissed at him as they waited outside the door. "Did you-- I mean, while I was gone… did you and Ro--?"

Reid only answered with a fond smirk.

"Oh, my God, you did!" Tyler coughed on his own surprised laughter. "That's low, Reid, even for you."

"Like you wouldn't do the same thing?" Reid argued. "And she wasn't drunk, Tyler. She told me."

"And you believed her?" Tyler replied in incredulity. "The girl was tipping the can even when she was back at our room! Not to mention she was all over you… She probably would have said anything to get some--"

"Hey-- shut up!" Reid snapped, shoving Tyler angrily, just as Kitty walked out of her room. They continued on in silence for many moments, until Kitty went back to humming to herself again.

"I'll have you know," Reid said in Tyler's ear. "That happened to be the best night of my entire life. The woman was a goddamn artist. Start picking out curtains; I'm sold."

Tyler chuckled.

"Reid, I haven't heard you talk like that since Stacey Lebeau back in the fourth grade."

"Hey, don't mock me, Ty— Stacey happened to be my first crush and I was devastated when she moved to California. But this… this is different. I think she felt it too."

"I think I know what 'it' was…"

Reid shoved Tyler again, but couldn't help but laugh this time. He was in too much of a good mood now to have Tyler's lame teasing spoil it.

Kitty knocked on the door and didn't wait for permission to enter. She went about as if she had done this all before.

"Ro," she said loudly, shaking her friend. Ro just mumbled something and didn't move. "RO!" Kitty yelled in Ro's ear, but Ro refused to wake.

"She's out cold," Tyler observed.

"Allow me," Reid piped up, kneeling down by her face. He let his eyes fall black and a smile grow on his face, Using to stir Ro's mind.

"Should you be doing that?" Kitty said with concern. "Your curse…"

She faded out and Tyler nodded at her to assure her that it would be okay.

Suddenly, Ro's eyes flashed open wide, her mouth gasping in a sharp intake of air. Reid just laughed in amusement, still stunningly close to her face, making her pull away to focus.

"Good morning, Sunshine," Reid said with a smile.

"Yay! You're alive!" Kitty exclaimed.

"Oh, man," Ro breathed, holding her head in an assumed hangover. "My head's gonna explode this time, I know it."

"I'll bet," Tyler agreed, glancing knowingly at the beaming Reid. "That was quite a night you had."

"I wouldn't really know," Ro admitted honestly, sitting up. "I can't remember half of it."

Tyler almost laughed out loud as he watched as Reid's expression plummet to the floor. All the blood drained from Reid's face and his brow furrowed in dismay.

"...Which half?" Reid asked desperately, searching for one lame shred of hope.

"The _last_ half, Reid," Ro replied as if he was the dumbest person alive. "Everythin' past the bar is pretty much black-out. Why, did I miss somethin'?"

Tyler lifted a finger to reply.

"_Actually_--"

"—Nothing!" Reid cut him off, to the confusion of both girls. "She didn't miss anything! Just us packing and heading here, is all. Not much. Isn't that right, Ty?"

"Oh, yeah, completely boring stuff," Tyler promptly played along, giving Reid a confused look out of the corner of his eye. In fact, everyone in the room seemed confused, all except Reid.

"Right…" Ro said at length. "I'm sorry ya'll had to see that side a' me, boys."

"You are so going sober right now," Kitty pointed a finger at her accusingly. "Sybilla was ready to have your head as it was for sneaking out again the other day. She wants to see you, by the way, before we go."

"Let's go then," Ro said grabbing a bag of clothes.

"Why would Ro sneak out?" Tyler asked.

"She has this boyfriend--"

"—How many times do I have t' say Rems is _not_ my boyfriend?" she exclaimed, then turned to Reid. "He's not my boyfriend," she assured him.

"He's a undercover agent currently acting as our spy on Roarden," Kitty went on, then said with a strong hint to Ro. "They sent him because he's a fast-talker and a heartbreaker if I ever saw one. He could have any lady he wants and he has a thing for Ro's rack."

Reid didn't seem pleased with this news, but no one noticed. Ro rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.

"Try not to be so jealous that I actually _have_ a rack," Ro defended. "You like him and you know it."

"Not like you," Kitty shrugged. "And I never said he wasn't cute and charming… Just that he's your Achilles' Heel."

-

Caleb followed at Fin's heels, gazing over the railing as they walked on a terrace. There were so many of them…

"So, do these people all have power like you and me?" Caleb asked.

"There are all kinds of magics here," Fin replied. "You must have heard of the types…?"

"Why don't you enlighten me?" Caleb said with a frustrated sigh. He was starting to get tired of being so ignorant about these sorts of things.

"Well, lets see," Fin counted on her fingers. "We have the Psychic Division (that's me), which includes telepaths, fortune tellers, all them people. Then we have the Titan Division (that's Ro), which includes the invincibles, the immortals, things like demies…"

"Demies?" Caleb repeated in wonder.

"You know," Fin waved him off. "Demi-gods. Then there's the Fey Division, which has your basic fairies, elves, anything of the foresty decent… Then we have the Undead Division (that's Kitty) which has the ghosts, the demons, the angels, the vampires…"

"Vampires?" Caleb spat out. "You're not serious?"

"I'm not much of a joker. Then we have the Therianthropic division, which has the animal transients, like, werewolves. Then we have the Unclassified Division, which is any one of those categories mixed together. People don't like Unclassifieds where we come from. Since I'm marrying outside of my class, I get a bit of hassle for it sometimes too."

"Why don't they like them to mix?"

"Some people think mixing the classes are species destroyers. They don't want any race to go extinct. Plus, you birth the right mixed blood, they get the power of two Classifications instead of one like everybody else—so there's jealousy in the mix too. No pun intended."

Fin turned a sharp left and Caleb and Pogue fell over themselves to keep up.

"Not everyone is like that, mind you, just some people… like Lysander. I can't blame him though, it was just the way his parents brought him up to think."

"What type of magic is Lysander?" Pogue asked curiously.

"He's in the Fey division," Fin replied. "A forest elf."

Pogue laughed.

"Like the kind that live in a tree and make cookies?"

"Oh, those zebra-striped ones are my favorite," Caleb piped up with a smile. Fin didn't seem to get their joke.

"Forest elves are some of the most dangerous magical creatures in existence. I wouldn't mock him while he is within a mile of you. He's got heightened senses, universal empathetic abilities and he's developed a bit in warlock-craft. Like yours, only his is natural."

Caleb was thoroughly lost by now, since every hall to him was starting to look alike. Sort of like a hotel hall full of doors with only numbers and an occasional elevator as your guiding landmarks. Fin stopped by one marked number 56.

"I apologize for him," Fin said. "I'm warning you, he's rather rude."

Then she knocked twice firmly on the door. Caleb shifted his feet in the several moments of pure silence. Just when he began to wonder if anyone was inside, the knob turned and a man appeared, with glowing lime green eyes, a pale face and pure white hair that was just long enough to hang in his eyes. His nose was small and upturned, but the rest of his face was sharp and harsh. His ears were dramatically pointed, sticking about three inches from his head. He was tall and very lean, but stood erect in military-style, with his shoulders hunched in such a way that reminded Caleb of a stalking cat.

"Oh, it's you," he said rather snappish, frowning upon Fin with distaste. His accent was very pompously British. "The race-crosser."

"Good to see you again too, Lysander," Fin retorted sarcastically. Caleb held out his hand to the strange Elf-boy politely. Lysander took it gladly.

"Well, if it isn't the 'Chosen Ones' themselves," he said approvingly, closing the door behind himself, suitcase in hand. "We'll see soon enough if you live up to your hype. Where are the rest of you? I thought there were supposed to be four-- or has the prophecy proven farse already?"

"Ever the faithful believer, Lysander," Fin muttered, rolling her eyes. "Com'on, let's go meet up with the others."

-

"Not the spooky lady _again_," Tyler muttered as they climbed the curving staircase to Sybilla's study. Caleb hit him to make him stop complaining, while Ro suddenly stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to their large group, which included her Syren sisters, the Covenant boys, and Lysander.

"Umm, Fin?" Ro said regrettably. "Maybe the fellahs should wait outside. I don't really want 'em to see Sybilla chewin' me out."

"Sorry, guys," Fin turned to them with a sorrowful look. "Just spare Ro the embarrassment, okay?"

"You mean any further embarrassment than she's already attained?" Lysander stated bluntly. Ro threw him a look, then continued on up the stairs.

Lysander helped himself to a waiting chair, sitting with his nose up in the air and his back straight as a board. Caleb and Tyler took nearby couches, while Reid slumped into a wooden chair that appeared highly uncomfortable. Pogue preferred to lean against a wall.

Silence ensued, Lysander not appearing like he welcomed conversation. Tyler watched Reid in amusement as the blonde stewed in a boiling pot of resentment.

"What's eating you?" Caleb asked, finally noticing Reid's foul disposition. Reid snorted and shook his head, not able to bring himself to reply. In which case, Caleb turned to the tattler, Tyler, for the answer.

"Well?" Caleb pressed. Tyler just shrugged. It must be something big if even Tyler wasn't willing to risk bringing Caleb up to date on Reid's latest disturbance. Caleb decided to let it go.

"What do you think they're saying in there?" he directed the question at Pogue, while nodding towards the door the girls had just gone through.

"Undoubtedly giving her the scolding long overdue," Lysander replied for him. "That Titan is a loose cannon, just like the rest of those Syrens made out to be Guardians. If Sybilla didn't believe in them so much…"

Pogue chuckled.

"If I didn't know any better, Lysander, I'd guess you were jealous of--"

"GOD!" Reid burst out very suddenly, throwing his hands up and clutching the air near his temples. "How could she _NOT_ RE_MEM_BER?"

Everyone jumped at Reid's abrupt outburst, but only Tyler seemed to know where it had come from, and he soon was snickering to himself like Reid was performing a comedy routine.

"Let it go, Reid," Tyler coaxed with a chuckle.

"Stop laughing!" Reid snapped. "This isn't funny! I mean, it was all damn near _ICONIC_…"

"What are you two even talking about?" Caleb demanded to know. Reid was too busy fuming, and Tyler was too busy laughing his head off, for either to bother answering Caleb.

-

**Please review!  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	6. Being Chapter the Sixth

**Being chapter the sixth.**

-

Ro put her hand on the antique silver handle of the old oak door, pulling hard to open it enough to squeeze inside.

"Rowina Darkholme," Sybilla called out as soon as Ro entered. Kitty and Fin remained near the back, keeping silent and observant.

Ro gulped as she walked up to the woman in apprehension, bowing her head before her in respect. She thought she saw a flicker of pity in Sybilla's blank whiteout eyes as she neared, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. Still, it aroused double the fear that was already inside of Ro.

"Madam Sybilla," Ro said quietly. "You wanted to see me?"

"Step forward, child," Sybilla called, waving Ro closer. Her brow was furrowed in distress, even concern.

"Look, I'm sorry about--" Ro began, but Sybilla put up a hand to stop her.

"I knew this problem would only escalate in time," Sybilla said. "I have seen your future, Rowina, and I fear for you. It is clouded, for a reason I cannot be sure of. Such a thing is uncommon of me, so you understand my unease upon the matter. I will allow you to go on with your task, as the prophecy demands, but only if you allow me to take the necessary precautions."

Ro considered this, and nodded firmly.

"I trust your judgment," Ro replied.

"Then give me your hand."

Ro placed her hand on Sybilla's smooth, copper palm, and a flash of green light exploded out from the contact. Ro yelled out in pain, and Kitty made to go to her, but Fin held her back.

"To you, Ro, I give the curse of poison skin, that you may never know touch to another being again."

Ro yanked her hand from the headmistress's hold, just as the light dimmed and the link was broken. The breaking of the connection was so strong a force it threw Ro to the floor. Sybilla looked down upon her with a resolved expression, letting Ro know that her decisions always had purpose.

"At the small cost of your romantic future, I have just saved your life. For your sake, let us hope it is enough."

Ro looked up at Sybilla as if screaming: _Why_?! She felt so betrayed, so hurt… She couldn't imagine a life in such a way she was forcibly bestowing upon her.

"Don't look at me that way, child," Sybilla coaxed. "It is not a curse, but a blessing. You will know this someday."

Ro couldn't stand the sight of Sybilla a moment longer, and in a huff, she stormed out of the room. Fin didn't quite understand Sybilla's reasoning, but she too trusted her judgment to the end, so she didn't dare question it. Still, her sympathy flowed for her friend.

"Good luck on your given task," Sybilla told Kitty and Fin. "Do not worry for Rowena. She will come to terms with it soon."

-

The group of eight, the Covenant and the Guardians, trekked back down the path they had entered from, past the thick wooden front door, past the domed Directory Room, and past the Hall of Remembrance.

"Um, Fin?" Caleb said as they followed the woman back where they had come. "Not to raise any problems, but… Lysander, if he's coming with us… well, he—he doesn't look--"

Fin laughed.

"Don't sweat it, hon… See?" Fin stretched her hand near Caleb's temple, and doing the same with all four boys, so that they might see too. "I've put up a illusive barrier over him to take away his abnormal features. As long as I'm conscious, he's just another guy."

Slowly, they saw Lysander's ears begin to shrink. The tips rounded and his eyes became a less glowing shade of green.

"And what is wrong with the way I _look_?" Lysander huffed, crossing his arms indignantly. Fin shot him a look, but didn't dignify him with a response.

At last they reached the storage closet, to which Fin had to take a moment to use her special key once more. Lysander shifted nervously, being almost to the earthen side and not feeling too happy about it. Kitty laughed at this.

"What's the matter, Lys?" she teased. "Haven't been to the other side before? Not _scared_, are you?"

"Scared? Puh-lease," Lysander replied haughtily in his British accent. His eyes fell on the mop, and he immediately stumbled backward in fear. "WHAT'S _THAT_?!"

"That would be a cleanin' utensil, Lysander," Ro sighed as Fin finally got the door open. She grabbed his sleeve. "_Com'on_."

"Alright," Fin said decidedly as they closed the storage closet number 88 behind them. "Sybilla left me instructions on how to divvy which Guardian to what bloodline, but I say we let the boys choose."

The Covenant boys looked to one another, and scooted beyond earshot in a huddle to vote on it.

"I call dibs on Ro," Reid raised his hand slightly like he was in a classroom.

"No surprise there," Tyler muttered. "I get Kitty then."

"I'll take Fin," both Caleb and Pogue said together.

"No way," Caleb argued. "You are _not_ sticking me with 'Anal Legolas'."

Pogue shook his head determinedly.

"Well, _you _aren't making me ride my bike around town with a _guy_ in my _biker_-_babe_ seat!"

Caleb sighed heavily.

"Flip you for it?" he offered.

Pogue obliged.

"Any of you got a coin?"

-

Pogue smiled happily as they continued down the hall to their rooms, Fin at his side. Caleb was looking rather glum walking with Lysander, who wasn't looking too thrilled himself for having to be here at all. Reid was rather confused with Ro, who was being distant with him, as if hinting strongly to the fact that she was here on strictly business. Tyler was grinning beside Kitty, overjoyed and not very discreet at hiding it. She didn't look too much different, forever stealing glances at the young boy out of the corner of her eye.

"Caleb!" a blonde girl called out from down the hall. "Where have you been? I've been looking all over…"

She noticed the company and grinned politely.

"Who's this?"

"Oh, uh," Caleb stammered. "Foreign exchange kids. Me and the guys kinda got recruited as their mentors."

Introductions were made, and Sarah quickly got back to the reason why she came.

"Listen, when you didn't answer my calls, I got worried--"

Caleb gasped and yanked his watch up to his eye level.

"Oh, no, what time is it?!" He waved the others on, kissing Sarah on the cheek as he did so. "I gotta get these guys registered. I'll catch up with you later."

"_Caleb_…" Sarah protested frustratedly.

"I'm sorry," Caleb replied, already halfway down the hall ahead of her, the others at his heels. "Call you later!"

"You better!" Sarah called back with a furrowed brow and a frown. Letting her boyfriend go off alone with hot foreign exchange girls? She just hoped her trust wasn't misplaced.

-

"We're in here," Pogue explained for Fin, holding the door to the next class open for her to enter through. "You've _really_ never been to a actual school before?"

"Hey," Fin protested. "_You're_ the one who's never been to an actual school. I would hardly call earthen schools a proper education."

"Yeah, about that," Pogue said as they grabbed seats. "I wouldn't be calling this anything like an 'earthen' or 'human' school. You wouldn't want unnecessary attention."

"Hey, baby!" Kate called, waving her hand as she climbed the stairs to their usual seats. When she saw the redhead in her chair, she frowned.

"Who's this?"

"Oh, hon, this is Fin," Pogue introduced. "She's… uh…"

"I'm his sister," Fin held out her hand politely to the darker girl. "Well, half-sister anyway. I'm visiting for a while."

"Uh, right!" Pogue said agreeably, sounding relieved. Kate seemed relieved too.

"Oh, no problem! I'll sit somewhere else. You two have fun."

"Thanks!" Fin called back, waving her off as Kate found a seat on the other side of the room. "And you're welcome," she whispered into Pogue's ear. Pogue smirked, but didn't answer. Caleb soon took a seat a couple rows down, with Sarah sitting next to him, and Lysander taking the row behind them.

On the other side of the room, Kitty and Tyler soon joined the blonde on the top, while Ro sat alone near the middle. Reid made a point of sitting far away from Ro, and she let him, figuring as long as he was still in sight there was no need to make a fuss about sitting near him.

"Hey," a boy said, dumping his things onto the desk next to Ro. "Aren't you that girl from Nicky's the other night?"

Ro observed the boy, trying to place his face.

"Oh, yeah, I remember you," Ro arched an eyebrow his way. "You're that touchy-feely bumpkin that I jammed my knee so far into your groin that you had balls in your butt."

"By day, known as Aaron," he said with a charming smile. "I don't think we got off to the right foot. Want to start over?"

Ro laughed, her hostility toward the boy fading fast.

"Sure, sugah," she agreed, shaking his hand with a glowing smile. She noticed Reid glaring her way, and couldn't help but pass him a taunting grin and wave.

Reid fumed and rested his chin on his folded arms. Tyler broke his stare with Kitty to look his way.

"Still moping?" he teased with a grin. Reid didn't respond.

-

**Please review!  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	7. Being Chapter the Seventh

**Being chapter the seventh.**

-

"Alright, everyone, calm down," Mr. Brisboy said to the class. "I see a few new faces today. New urchins, wonderful. All new students get a pop quiz. YOU!"

He whipped his finger at Fin.

"Who gave the Gettysburg address?"

Fin's face blanked. She had no idea who Gettysburg was, much less who gave him a place of address. She had no idea of _any_thing relating to Earthen history.

"Umm…. Someone from the government?"

The students chuckled together and Pogue smirked at Fin, who cowered and glared at those who had the gall to laugh at her.

"We have a comedian in our class!" the teacher exclaimed. Ro was the only one left snickering in a fight to contain the last of her laughter as the rest of the room silenced, so the teacher turned to her next.

"Okay, Little Miss Giggles," Mr. Brisboy said, pointing at Ro. "Why don't you name one of our upcoming presidential candidates?"

Ro's turn to blank out. If only he had asked something not pertaining to current culture, then she might have a shot at getting the question right. She had only been cut from the earthen world for about ten years, so she didn't have a chance at answering correctly. Reid sensed her panic, and decided to jump in with his own reply to pull the suspicious spotlight off of her.

"Oh, I know," Reid shot his hand up. "That one guy—Yo Mama!"

"You mean Obama?" Mr. Brisboy quirked an eyebrow. Reid shrugged obligingly, and smirked. The class erupted in laughter.

"Okay, that's enough," Mr. Brisboy put his hands up to quiet the class down. "Get out your books and go to page 102."

Reid glanced downward at Ro as if expecting praise, who, in turn, smiled up at the blonde and mouthed a very indebted 'thank you'.

-

Kitty skipped behind Tyler after class had ended, feeling overjoyed by the entire situation. She felt that sticking close to Tyler would be like being a professional cookie taster. Like being paid for doing was you can't help but love.

"You hiding springs in those shoes?" Tyler observed with a laugh. Kitty giggled too.

"I'm just happy, I'm sorry," she replied with an embarrassed smile.

"No, no, it's cool," Tyler assured her. "But I was wondering something..."

Kitty perked up.

"Ooo, what?!"

Tyler smiled broadly and looked elsewhere, his cheeks flushing. Kitty began to suspect he was going to ask her something of romantic intention...

"What happens when a 'Chosen One' needs to use the bathroom?"

Kitty slumped her shoulders in disappointment.

"I have to go with you."

Tyler seemed greatly disturbed by this.

"No _way_!" he protested strongly, shaking his head and putting up his hands. "You are SO not going in there."

"It's okay," Kitty assured him. "I can be invisible. No one will see me."

"It's not what _other_ people see that I'm worried about…"

Kitty sighed.

"I'll cover my eyes, I promise."

Tyler shifted in his feet a bit for how badly he had to go. He didn't think he had a whole lot of choice.

"You promise…?"

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your--"

"Okay, I get it," Tyler said with frustration, opening the door to the bathroom. Kitty shifted invisible and went through the wall. Tyler couldn't see her anymore, but it made him nervous knowing she was there.

"I'm not looking, go ahead," he heard her voice say. Tyler sighed and unzipped his jeans, not able to see Kitty's head turn slightly to the left, then quickly decide against it. She was not one to break a promise, no matter how tempting it may be. And it was quite tempting indeed…

-

"So then I said: not slutty, a SLUSHIE!" Kitty finished, as Tyler burst out laughing with her as they sat down for lunch. "By far, THE worse trip to 7/11 I've _ever_ had."

"Oh, my gosh, that's funny," Tyler gasped for air. When he caught his breath, he took another sip of his soda and peered back at Kitty again.

"So you haven't lived in Aromesia all your life, then, huh?"

"Oh no," Kitty replied. "I'm actually one of their more recent cross-overs. I just found out about Aromisia, like, about three years ago. It's kind of hard being there. I had a lot to catch up on, like you guys do. Sybilla's patient with me, but sometimes I kinda feel like I don't belong, you know? I think I just miss my family."

Tyler furrowed his brow in sympathy.

"They don't live on the other side?"

"No," Kitty said. "They're Non-Magicals. It was kind of a shocker with Sybilla showed up at their door telling them their daughter had died and come back to life. They're cool with it now though. I write them a lot. Even though the Guild has so many people in it, it still can be pretty lonely for me."

Tyler nodded in understanding, thinking on this. He had felt the same when he had seen the Guild too. He knew firsthand how overwhelming it was.

"Well," he said timidly. "You'll always have a friend in _me..._"

Kitty looked back at him, utterly touched, her heart stopping in surprise. Before she could gather her thoughts to thank him, Lysander had plopped into a chair next to her, while Caleb sat next to Tyler. Tyler looked elsewhere, his ears turning bright pink.

"For God's sake, Lysander," Caleb said, with frustration, with no concern for Tyler and Kitty's previous conversations. "If you don't want to be here, I'm not forcing you to stay."

"Sybilla is," Lysander replied shortly. "This is supposed to be a task of great honor. So far it is simply a task of great annoyance."

"Look," Caleb said, looking around at the other students in the lunch hall to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "If we're going to have to spend large quantities of time together, the least you can do is _try_ to get along with me."

Lysander lifted his nose and folded his arms indignantly, as if Caleb had just told him he was a sissy little girl.

"I _refuse_ to be treated as your baggage to be dragged about at your lead."

Caleb threw up his hands in frustration.

"Then don't," Caleb stated very simply, then grabbed his tray and got up to find another place to sit, ideally one with Sarah.

Lysander frowned as he watched Caleb walk away, considering this carefully. For several moments, he looked from Caleb to places of inconsequence. Finally, he let out a sigh, took up his lunch and went after him.

-

Ro tried hard to keep up with Reid, who was all too easily trying to lose her in the bustling crowd of students after class. She called after him, but he readily ignored her. Ro had to stay with him, or at least keep him in sight… it was her solemn duty, her honorable calling… why was he making this so difficult? Finally, she broke into a run, using her adding strength to plow right through students, using her flight to lift her slightly off the ground as she ran. At last, she caught up to Reid, who was just stepping around the corner to go to the cafeteria. Ro reached out and took firm hold of his left arm, and yanked him around to face her.

"What's your problem?" Ro demanded. "I _know_ you heard me callin' ya."

"I'm fine," Reid shot out curtly. He made to leave again, but Ro kept her grip on his arm.

"You're not fine-- why're you avoidin' me?"

"I'm not avoiding you; let me go."

"Not until ya give me an honest answer!"

Reid finally peered into her grassy eyes, as if deciding whether she could handle what he had in his mind. Her face was lit with anticipation and cute curiosity, her brow wrinkling in slight concern. She looked ready for anything, and determined not to take another step until she heard what he had to say. Sighing deeply, Reid felt it was time to disclose his boiling secret. Suddenly, he couldn't wait for her to know. Maybe her memory would come back, and she could look upon it as fondly as he had grown to…

"Alright, fine," Reid obliged. "The other night--"

"Ro?" a foreign voice called out in wonder. "Is that _you_?!"

Suddenly, the entirety of Ro's attention was turned toward the voice, her face lighting up like Times Square on New Years.

"Rems!"

She ran down the rest of the hallway to the man who was waiting with open arms at the door to the school. She leaped into his arms and he embraced her tightly, picking her up and twirling her around in a fond reunion. Reid pursed his lips together and then clenched his teeth in anger, just as the door to the lunch hall opened and Tyler came around the corner with Kitty.

"Who's that?" Tyler asked. Kitty squealed and ran down to meet the man too. "…Did I miss something?"

"That's man who's 'not her boyfriend'," Reid growled through his teeth.

"Gotcha," Tyler nodded in understanding, and watched Kitty hug the handsome man as well.

"Kitten!" Rems exclaimed in an accent Southern enough to rival Ro's. "Ya miss me, Half-Pint?"

"_Hey_…!" Kitty smacked him playfully.

Ro looked upon the man as if she was trying hard not to appear too happy to see him again.

"I've been gone a long time," Rems said to Ro seriously. "I've missed ya. Is mommy here too?"

"Yeah, Fin's 'round somewhere," Ro replied in a flustered hurry. "We're supposed to meet up here to go to the Guild. The boys here are 'bout to be educated in our ways."

Rems chuckled, held his hand out to the boys. Tyler shook it heartily, muttering something about it being nice to meet him, but Reid kept his arms folded and acted like he didn't notice his offer of a handshake.

-

Pogue entered the lunchroom with Fin, who immediately scanned the area for her Syren sisters. Kitty was laughing away with Tyler, sitting at a table with Caleb, a bored Lysander and an even fouler-tempered Reid, who was glaring off into the direction of another table. There, Ro sat with a man Fin didn't recognize at first. A man with brown locks that hung in his eyes, a laid-back posture, a lean, fit body, and a long gray trench coat… As Fin focused, she realized exactly who it was.

"There's Kate," Pogue said, pointing off at the lunch line where Kate was laughing with Sarah.

"Go ahead," Fin encouraged him to leave without her. Her gaze was locked on Ro and Rems. "I have to take care of something."

-

**Please review!  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	8. Being Chapter the Eighth

**Being chapter the eighth.**

**-**

Pogue didn't bother to ask, just weaved his way through the lunchroom tables, heading for his girlfriend Kate. Fin took a deep breath, and marched over to the table where Ro sat. She took a firm grasp of Ro's shoulder, and made the girl whirl around to face her. Ro, who had just been giggling over something with Rems, stopped laughing abruptly when she saw Fin's face.

"_What_ are you doing?" Fin demanded. Ro seemed speechless, and unable to form words through her series of small gasps.

"Hey, Finny!" Rems greeted good-naturedly.

"Shut up, and for the last time, don't call me 'Finny'."

Rems went back to concentrating on his food. He knew better than to aggravate her. Fin turned back to Ro.

"Don't you realize you're compromising the cover of Rems' entire covert operation? Of _yours_? You're endangering you both by even looking at each other!"

"Fin, watch that temper a' yours," Rems assured her calmly. "Ol' Roardy assigned me t' watch you guys, to see what ya'll are up to here. It's all undah control."

"No doubt you _volunteered_ for the job?" Fin snapped accusingly. Fin suspected she knew the exact reason why he was here, and it had nothing to do with any 'assignment'.

"What can I say?" Rems shrugged. "I missed the Guild. Especially a few ladies in particular…"

Ro giggled, but ceased quickly when Fin shot her another look. Fin's could feel her oh-so-dangerous fiery temper boil inside her, a little voice telling her to rip Rems to shreds. Every time Rems was in town in only meant trouble and heartache, mostly for Ro. The man had more or less ruined Ro's life, and sent her into alcoholism in the first place.

"How's the _wife_, Rems?" Fin shot out angrily.

Ro glared sharply at Fin for bringing the sensitive matter up, getting a little angry at her friend for butting into her personal matters. She knew Fin was just trying to save her from those late-night tears, and more sips of the flask she kept in her purse, but she couldn't help but feel like Fin was acting more like her parent than her friend.

Rems didn't seem offended at all, and answered very casually.

"She's fine, Fin. Still out t' kill me, but fine."

"Can't imagine why anyone would want to kill _you_," Fin went on. The Fire inside her was starting to flicker. It would take over soon if she didn't calm down.

"And have you heard?" Fin went on. "Ro's untouchable now. Sybilla put a curse on her. Poison skin."

"Oh, I already told him," Ro shot back. "Come t' find out, since Rems is half Demon, it doesn't affect him."

"How convenient."

Ro and Fin had a glaring fight, having an entire argument in silence. Finally, Ro's face turned defiant, and she rose from her seat.

"How about ya go bring the car around, Rems?" Ro asked. "It suddenly got too hot in here for my likin'."

Rems obligingly agreed and nodded to Fin in goodbye. Ro made to follow him out the door, but Fin grabbed her hand.

"Don't you dare go out that door, Ro. You have a duty to do."

Ro glanced at Reid, who was on his feet, watching Ro intently. All the others at the table were watching along with him, curious. Kitty got up too, and started to come over to hear what was going on.

"All of _you_ are with Reid," Ro assured Fin. "He'll be fine for one night…"

"Don't you _get_ it?" Fin asked desperately. "You're just another hot body to Rems! He'll leave you in the dust just like he has _all_ those times before, with _all_ those other women!"

"That was a long time ago, Fin. You don't understand our relationship-- ya never did. I don't need ya'll to control my rotten life just because ya think the way I live it sucks. I'll meet you back at the Guild."

Fin couldn't help but drop her hold on Ro's arm at that, feeling deeply hurt. She watched Ro storm off as if she was running off to her death. And Rems was the Nazi.

Kitty opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again just as quickly. She tried once more.

"Rems really _does_ seem to love Ro, though--"

"--_Completely_ besides the point, Kitty," Fin shot back.

Kitty stayed silent after that.

-

"Lysander, that's a pretty name…" Sarah said good-naturedly as they ate. Caleb chewed nervously on his sandwich, praying inside that Lysander wouldn't slip up and reveal that he wasn't from this world. Or even their species.

"Shakespearean, isn't it?" Sarah asked.

Lysander gave her a strange look.

"I'm not familiar with that country," he replied honestly.

"Shakespeare's a writer," Sarah retorted. "Where did you say you were from?"

Lysander frowned and looked to Caleb for the answer.

"He's from a very remote place… in, uh, the South Pacific," Caleb jumped in quickly. "Called… um--"

"Lithlin," Lysander finished. "It's pronounced Lithlin, Caleb."

"Right," Caleb agreed, relieved Lysander was keeping his own cover.

"And how are you liking it here so far?" Sarah went on.

"I cannot wait to go home," Lysander replied hotly. "I find this place disgusting and primordial."

"Is it really that bad here?" Sarah chuckled. "Maybe you should give it a shot. Have Caleb show you the sights--"

Caleb shook his head furiously no and motioned with a finger across his throat for Sarah to cut it out. She looked at him with confusion, but didn't have a chance to say anything more.

"Hi, Caleb," Kira said as she leaned her hands on their table. She nodded Sarah's way and smiled at Lysander. "A couple of the girls and I were wondering who your new friend is and why you were saw fit to not share him with the rest of us?"

"Kira, this is Lysander," Caleb introduced politely with a sigh. "He's from Lothlorien."

"Lithlin," Lysander corrected.

"I wasn't aware we had a foreign exchange program?" Kira said with surprise. "Even better. Listen, Aaron's having a majorly epic party at his place this Saturday…" Kira took out a pen and grabbed Lysander's hand, scribbling down her number on it. "It's going to be a blast, and you should really think about going, even if boring Caleb doesn't want to. I'm sure I could find you plenty of _other_ people to hang with once you're there. I'll be _expecting_ you…!"

Lysander watched her walk away, and looked down at the digits on his palm with great disturbance.

"She has… marked me," he stated. Caleb patted him on the back.

"Girls do that when they crush on you."

Lysander seemed fearful.

"I do not want _any_one crushing me."

"He means she's falling for you," Sarah tried.

"Should I… catch her?"

"She likes you, Lysander," Caleb explained with a laugh. "Ro_mantically…_?"

"Ahh," Lysander said with a nod. "I see… Well, that won't do at _all_…"

"I agree," Sarah said. "That girl's a bonafide witch if I ever did see one."

Lysander perked up.

"She has magical abilities?"

"Lysander," Caleb hushed. "Do me a favor, would you? Eat your food."

Lysander frowned at Caleb, but obeyed.

-

Later that day, Pogue, Caleb, Lysander and Fin walked down the hall to the storage closet number #88. Kitty, Tyler and Reid were probably already on the other side, while Ro was ideally going to catch up with them later. Fin stayed strangely quiet throughout the entire walk, but everyone assumed she was still upset about Ro. Only Pogue suspected something more. Even more so, Lysander seemed edgier than usual.

"Lys, I'm sensing magics nearby," Fin said out of the blue. "Please tell me it's just something on the other side of the door…"

"No," Lysander shook his head, his brow furrowed in alert caution. "I sense it too."

Fin put her arm out to halt everyone's walking. She waved Lysander to come with her as she neared the last corner to the storage hallway. The two Covenant boys watched her inch along the wall, ever-so-slowly peering around the corner.

"You smell it?" Lysander asked her grimly, as if hoping it had been a figure of his imagination. Fin nodded.

"Spectres," she sighed. "Dammit… Lysander?"

"I am already ahead of you."

Lysander had his eyes closed and his fingers rubbing his temples.

"What's he doing?" Pogue demanded.

"Fey's are light beings, and Spectres are about as dark as they come. They're allergic to one another. If Lysander can hit them first…"

"AHH!" Lysander yelled in surprise, as an invisible blast threw him backward against the wall. His chest sizzled and smoked from the blow, a gaping hole in his shirt like he had been burned. Suddenly, silver and black smoke swirled around them, so thick that they could barely see, so foul they could barely breathe…

"AHHH!!" Lysander yelled again, this time in great pain.

"LYSANDER!" Fin called through the haze. She put her arms out before her, trying to feel for any tangible person. "CALEB! _ANYONE_?!"

"Right here," Pogue called back, as Fin felt a hand firmly grasp hers. Though the mists, she could barely make out his face.

"Pogue!" Fin yelled through the commotion. "Quick! Hit me in the face!"

"What?!" Pogue exclaimed with confusion. "Why would I--?"

"Just DO it!"

Pogue frowned, then suddenly slapped her in the face, just hard enough to make it hurt. Fin held her stinging cheek, her eyes falling dark black, flickering, then igniting with flame…

-

**  
Please review.**

**Signed,  
RedRogue**


	9. Being Chapter the Ninth

**Being chapter the ninth.**

**-**

Yelling out like a battle cry, Fin lifted her arms to the ceiling, a great wind coming from nowhere and scattering the mists. Soon, the air was filtered and diluted, the Spectres escaping into the walls, while some were shredded by the winds created by Fin.

Once the spirits were parted, Fin gasped deeply, the flames in her eyes capped by her closing eyelids. She fell to her knees as if greatly fatigued, while Caleb pulled Lysander to his feet.

"Wow," Pogue commented, as he tried to help Fin up, but she pushed his helping hand away.

"I'm fine," she snapped. Pogue took offense to her refusal, then remembered that Kitty had warned them of her foul disposition post 'Fiery' mode.

"Lysander's not," Caleb stated, directing their gaze to the crater in Lysander's midsection, charred, bleeding and still smoking from the blast.

"Let's get him to the other side," Fin said. "We have healers there."

As Fin unlocked the door to the closet, Pogue muttered something that she couldn't hear.

"What's that?" Fin asked.

"I said sorry," Pogue repeated. "You know… for hitting you, even though you told me to hit you."

Fin smirked at him like he was a naïve little boy.

"Don't be," Fin assured him, then opened the door. "I needed pain to give me added rage."

"Still felt wrong," Pogue insisted. "Hitting a girl…"

"Yeah, poor, defenseless me," Fin chuckled in cynicism.

As soon as they entered the magical side, Lysander's appearance shifted back into that of his true form, his hair changing from blonde to a snowy white, his ears in a sharp point and elongating several inches from his head, his eyes from a dull green back to the glowing neon lime color they were before.

In silence they walked through the passages to the Guild. Once they made it through the front door, Kitty and Tyler immediately ran up to meet them.

"Where's Reid?" Caleb asked Tyler first off.

"He's outside with my friend Daniel," Kitty assured him. Caleb seemed worried for his friend, even though they were inside the Guild. Kitty frowned and guessed his thoughts.

"Daniel's very big and extremely protective. Reid's still moping, but totally fine. Unlike all of you-- What happened?" she asked Fin in worry, looking fearfully at Lysander's wounds.

"Met a few Spectres waiting for us," Fin replied.

"Spectres?!" Kitty repeated with surprise. "Whoa! You think they're, like, trying to get _in_?"

"Don't know. I'll ask Sybilla-- she needs to hear about this. Show Caleb where to take Lysander, would you?"

"Sure thing," Kitty said with a firm nod.

"And Pogue, round up the other boys and we'll all meet back at Sybilla's office, okay?"

"Sounds good," Pogue agreed.

With that, they parted ways, Fin heading up the winding stairway to Sybilla's study, Pogue disappearing down a hallway, while Kitty, Tyler, and Caleb holding Lysander upright, took the lower route through the dining hall.

Lysander groaned and complained the entire way over the bridge and through the courtyards to a long building in the corner of the quad. Caleb supported Lysander through the trek, but rolled his eyes every time Lysander came up with a new excuse to be unhappy.

"I mean, honestly, I put my life at risk, and for what? --Slowly, Caleb, I am injured here! --I mean, not even Sybilla has a firm grip of the prophecies outcome, and I, for one…"

Suddenly Lysander stopped talking, for once in their entire trip, and abruptly halted his walk, confusing Caleb entirely. Even Kitty stopped and turned around to see what was the matter, which stopped Tyler as well. Lysander seemed lost in oblivion, his gaze directed off into the distance. Caleb followed his line of sight to a scantily clad figure, just stepping out of the river. It was a woman, with long raven hair that she tied into a lazy, low ponytail, shining purple only the sunlight. Her skin was so white it was blinding, her full lips red as roses, her Asian eyes dramatically slanted and violet in color. She was a sight to behold.

"Who's that?" Caleb asked, wondering what spell had come over him that he wasn't able to take his eyes off her. Kitty opened her mouth to answer his question, but Lysander beat her to it.

"That's Dahlia Yei…" he said a little breathlessly. Caleb quirked at eyebrow at him with this statement, and exchanged glances with Kitty. Kitty shrugged back with bewilderment, communicating that she had never seen this of Lysander before.

"_Really_ now?" Caleb said with a teasing grin. "Yeah, she's pretty."

Lysander immediately stiffened at this, standing up taller and forcing his gaze elsewhere.

"Oh, her?" he said with slight anger in his tone. "Not at all. She's vampiress-- she has heightened pheromones. That's probably what's clouding your judgment."

Caleb smirked in amusement, and nodded in understanding.

"She's not in your 'class', I'm guessing," Caleb presumed.

Lysander whipped his eyes to Caleb with a burning glare. Caleb could tell he was clenching his jaw, probably holding back from striking him.

"Come along," Lysander urged. "Harry has his work cut out for him with stitching me back together."

"Oh, Harry's out analyzing the blood of the Covenant boys," Kitty giggled. "Dahlia's the nurse today… Oh, Dahlia!"

Lysander frowned and sighed frustratedly as if convinced nothing was going right for him today. Dahlia looked up at the sound of her name, and noticed Lysander's wound quickly.

"Get him in here," she said in a gentle but hurried voice. She was British just like Lysander was, Caleb noticed. "Quickly now…"

Caleb helped Lysander sit on a medical bed, as Dahlia quickly went about the room gathering supplies.

"Take off your shirt, please," she told Lysander. He put his nose up into the air defiantly when Caleb wiggled his eyebrows at him, but seemed however reluctant to take off his clothes for the woman.

"Now, please," Dahlia insisted. "You're losing more blood by the second."

Lysander grudgingly pulled his shirt over his head, groaning in his aggravated pains, while Caleb assisted him. Dahlia examined the wound closely, much to Lysander's discomfort. He gulped and froze when she reached out her bony fingers to touch it, hissing slightly, making Dahlia quickly draw her hand away.

"Oh, did I hurt you?" she said apologetically. Lysander frowned at her, but couldn't respond. Caleb suspected he wasn't even breathing, and this was confirmed when his face started to turn blue.

"What did this?" Dahlia asked.

"Spectres," Kitty said grimly. Dahlia was immediately disturbed by this news.

"Does Sybilla know?"

"Fin's informing her right now," Caleb replied. "In fact, why don't we give Lysander and Dahlia some time alone," –Lysander furiously shook his head no at this— "And we'll go see what Sybilla thinks of all this firsthand."

Everyone but Lysander seemed to think this was a good idea, so he was readily outvoted. Caleb smiled at him knowingly one last time, before closing the door after himself and Kitty. As they made their way down the curving hall, Caleb sighed, and though it best to finally ask:

"So what exactly are Spectres?"

-

"They are spirits, in all essence," Sybilla explained for the entire Covenant back in her study. They sat at prepared desks especially for Sybilla's teachings for them. Today she spoke with waving hands, the fringe on the edges of her magenta robe being tossed about like kite strings in the wind.

"They are Undead ghosts that work for Roarden," she went on. "Ghastly creatures of the Underworld, those things. They can bewitch minds, possess them as their own… or even, as you saw with poor Lysander, put you through a portal to Hell itself, one cell at a time. Ro! So glad you could finally join us."

Ro nervously slipped the rest of herself through the slightly open door, nodding to Sybilla in respect.

"Sorry I'm late," she said meekly, then took her place beside her Syren sisters. Reid glared at her without shame at hiding it. Ro didn't seem to notice.

"So Lysander was burned by _Hellfire_?" Pogue asked with surprise. Reid snickered in unbelief.

"Next she's going to be yelling: Repent! The kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" Reid scoffed.

"Amen," Tyler added.

"Reid!" Caleb scolded, shoving him slightly to make him behave.

"Do not scold him for speaking his mind," Sybilla said to Caleb. "But I do find it curious, Mr. Garwin, that even after all you have seen now, what you have seen before, that you still do not accept it in your heart that it is somehow real."

"Well, I'm sorry," Reid laughed. "Real or not, this whole 'magical cult within a school' thing is complete bullshit."

"'Bullshit'?" Sybilla repeated looking to Fin for a translation.

"It means fake, codswallop, a lie."

Sybilla nodded obligingly, and turned back to Reid.

"What makes you assume such?"

"Think about it: Your entire hope of your lives rests on the shoulders of a bunch of stupid teenage boys who are the prophesized 'Chosen Ones' to save all of Andromeda?"

"Aromesia," all three Syrens corrected him together.

"_Whatever_. I'm just saying, we're kids, not saviors."

"_Some_ of us are still kids, Reid," Caleb hissed over his shoulder. "Not all of us."

"I was the one who foretold the return of the Covenant, and I predicted you would save us. I did not see what leads up to make this fact true, or how you get there. But, I have also seen the alternative path, if you do so fail… which includes enslavement, torture, pain, and more deaths than I would like to see in my lifetime. I would like very much to avoid the alternative, but in order to do that, you four must all be _alive_ when the time comes… and I don't care if I have to tie you to that chair and feed you with a _spoon_ until that day passes us by but so help me I _shall_ if I must in order to save my students."

Reid closed his mouth.

"Fin," Sybilla said decidedly. "That is enough lessons for one day. Take these gentlemen to their rooms."

"As you say, Sybilla," Fin said, bowing slightly in respect. "Com'on, boys."

Caleb lingered as the others left, staring at Sybilla with wonder. Fin stopped and wondered why Caleb wasn't following, but Sybilla waved her to go on without him.

"You had something more to add, Mr. Danvers?" Sybilla asked over her shoulder as she faced the window once more.

"I- I'm sorry about Reid," Caleb stammered. "He's just… he'll come around."

"I'm assured of this as well."

Caleb still didn't leave.

"You wish to ask me something more," Sybilla assumed. "But you fear what you are going to ask. So I will save you the trouble. Caleb…" Sybilla said with a sigh. "You possess unnatural magic, so it makes it even harder to see your fate. My visions concerning you four are like visions of the wind. I can only see the _effects_ of what you are to accomplish, but I cannot see you. Things like free will, love, reaction, human emotions… they tend to get in the way of being sure of futures."

"Then how do you know?"

"Like I said, the effects, Mr. Danvers, the outcome. A future in which we are at peace. In all truthfulness, one should not know their fate anyhow. Too rigid with little room for choice."

"When is this D-Day coming?"

"Very soon."

"Will we all survive?" Caleb asked. Sybilla turned away.

"I… I can't be sure."

"What? Why can't you be _sure_?!"

"Caleb!" Sybilla said with frustration. "Trust me when I say I am doing everything I can to preserve you all."

Caleb frowned grimly and shifted his stance.

"You think we're going to die, don't you?" Caleb muttered. "That's why you gave us Guardians, why you put a curse on Ro, why you never let us go beyond these walls to see that magical world out there… You're trying to guide our paths because there's some grim finale that you're not telling us about."

"Futures are fickle, Caleb," Sybilla replied shortly. "They can change in an instant. Take comfort in uncertainty."

-

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Please review.**

**Signed,  
RedRogue**


	10. Being Chapter the Tenth

**Being chapter the tenth.**

**-**

Caleb was unnerved by Sybilla's words as he exited her study with a befuddled mind. He said nothing of it to his Covenant brothers, but rather, kept it to himself. He saw no point in burdening them with his worries as well. As he came down to the lobby, he saw the Syren girls arguing with the three remaining Covenant boys on sleeping arrangements.

"Sybilla insists that you stay within the protection of these walls," Fin said sternly.

"Well, if my girlfriend visits my room, it will completely blow our cover on the other side!" Pogue retorted.

"Not to mention it's a little creepy here," Tyler added.

"Oh, don't be a sissy," Ro shot out, so Reid stepped up in her face.

"Don't you be calling Ty a sissy!" Reid snapped. "Only _I'm_ allowed to call him a sissy."

"And who's allowed to call _you_ one, Hothead?" Rems piped up from the couch, being the only person in the room sitting down coolly.

"Oh, shut up, Bayou Boy--"

"—_What_ did you call me--?"

"Guys!" Caleb called out. "Everybody calm down. Now, Pogue's right. It'll be a little hard to keep everything under wraps when we've quite literally dropped off the face of the Earth. I vote we sleep on the Earthen side."

"I hope you have understanding girlfriends," Fin said, crossing her arms firmly. "Because you are staying here. Lysander just got _maimed_ by Spectres out there protecting _you_-- and he doesn't even _BELIEVE_ in all this! Why do you think we made you pack bags?"

"Thought we were going on a mini-vacation at most," Caleb confessed.

"Okay," Kitty stepped forward. "How about, like, one night here, one night there? It's not like we have to travel far back and forth, you know."

Everyone seemed to settle on this idea as the best they would get.

"Oh, yeah, about Lysander…" Caleb said. "With him under the weather… who's going to--?"

"We've already got you a new Guardian," Fin assured him. "My fiancée, Etrigan, is going to take over Lysander's post."

A grunt was heard behind them, and in came James Etrigan himself, dragging a massive mallet behind him and thrusting it into a weapons closet with a heavy _THUD_. He slammed the closet door closed, clapped the dust off his hands with a brushing motion, and looked at the three Syrens and four Covenants staring back at him with wonder.

"I still say they're too scrawny to be heroes," Etrigan growled. "A couple hours of my personal training should do them right."

Fin smirked at him and shook her head in amusement.

"Maybe some other time. They're going to sleep tonight HERE," she added with a strong hint. The Covenant boys consented, suddenly feeling too tired to argue. It had been a long day for all of them.

As Fin led the way, Pogue trotted alongside of Etrigan, who walked in extremely large steps for such a short man. He snorted at him as if to say: 'what do _you_ want, sissy boy?'

"I heard you ride," Pogue said, shrugging on his leather motorcycle jacket, most likely in the specific purpose for Etrigan to notice it. Etrigan looked at Pogue differently then, as if sizing him up.

"I ride a Ducati myself," Pogue slyly bragged.

"Ah, you mean motorcycles," Etrigan said with a nod.

"Yeah," Pogue admitted in confusion. "Why—what did you think I meant?"

"Nohcs, of course," Etrigan replied as if Pogue was completely daft.

Pogue frowned and hated to squander his pride enough to ask.

"What the hell is a nohc?"

Etrigan laughed, having decided on the fact that this boy knew absolutely nothing at all.

"An abbreviation for Nitro-Oxygen Hover Craft. A hoverbike. You don't ride those where _you're_ from?"

Etrigan snorted that last part with disdain, as if demeaning Pogue to living in some poor, rat-infested ghetto that made him unworthy of consequence. Pogue realized that all the people in this magical community must think lowly of Eartheners.

"Oh, sure I do, all the time," Pogue agreed. "We just don't call them by their unofficial name, is all…"

Etrigan then checked to make sure Fin wasn't watching. She was busy talking to Caleb about Spectres. He backhanded Pogue in the shoulder and silently directed him down a different hallway. Pogue more than willingly followed.

"I guess you're in MY charge tonight, Caleb," Fin said, noticing Etrigan slip away only by the departure of his conscious mind. Etrigan always forgot that she was a psychic, therefore could subconsciously sense thoughts, and when they were no longer in her presence.

Caleb shrugged, showing that it didn't really matter to him on way or another.

"We still have another hour before lights out," Kitty piped up. "I'm going to show Tyler around the grounds."

"I'm going to bed," Reid announced. "Does Guardian-girl Ro have to _sleep_ with me too?"

"A little late for tha-- OW!" Tyler held his injured side after Reid had elbowed him to shut up.

"While we're at the Guild, she and Kitty will be sleeping in the next room down from you and Tyler," Fin replied. "Once we get to the Earthen side she'll have to bunk with you. Tyler will have to move in with Kitty."

"I'll show ya where your place is," Ro said, leading Reid off to a different hall. Kitty grabbed at Tyler and went off in another direction.

Fin and Caleb looked at one another. She knew what he was thinking, and she didn't even have to read his mind.

"Should I be worried?" Caleb asked Fin.

"No," Fin said. "Not about Kitty, and with the curse on Ro… I'd say you have nothing to worry about."

Caleb seemed doubtful, but nodded obligingly.

"Why DID Sybilla put that curse on Ro?" Caleb asked. Fin shrugged.

"Because Ro has a thing for blondes."

"So she _cursed_ her with _poison skin_…?" Caleb said with obvious disbelief, emphasizing that it seemed a little harsh. Fin passed him a look of warning not to mock her. He would only get one.

"Sybilla obviously sees some drastic result if Ro falls in love with Reid, or vice-versa. I sense Reid already emotionally bonded to her, whether he'd admit it or not."

"They could be in love without physicalities," Caleb pointed out. "Maybe she fears for… dare I say it— their offspring?"

"Shall we go help them pick out curtains now?" Fin laughed. "You're getting a little ahead of yourself, don't you think?"

"I'm just a little future-conscious right now," Caleb admitted.

"Well," Fin consented. "I _do_ know that sometimes Fate has a knack for finding a way no matter what you do to prevent it."

Caleb didn't like the sound of that one bit.

-

"Com'_on_!" Kitty urged excitedly, pulling Tyler along by the wrist as he clambered on at her forceful lead. His smile was broad and amused, ducking under the tree branches as they sped by them. The soil under his feet was blanketed with so many flat little stemless white flowers that were dropped by the trees that the floor resembled a snowy winter covering, while the peeking few open areas of the ground were moist, rich, dark earth. The sun draped down through the canopy of trees, getting through as often as possible to make random spotlights on the path they treaded on. The forest was a strange one, made of drooping trees with swaying branches, soft as curtained fringe. There were so many hanging strands of leaves that danced in the gentle wind that Tyler could barely see the pixie face of the girl leading him on.

"Where are you taking me?" Tyler laughed.

"Trust me, it'll be worth it," Kitty assured him.

At last they came to a clearing, where several benches were set up around a broad, beautiful lake. The lake was a bold shade of blue, indicating that it was brilliantly clean. A nearby sign was posted, on a wooden post. Tyler had to walk up close to read the small black, scrawly writing:

"Beware of…" Tyler read aloud, then looked to Kitty with a highly disbelieving look. "Com'on… _mermaids_?"

"Yup!" Kitty said proudly. "I was skeptical when I heard it too. Come over here."

Kitty went around the beach of the lake to a large tree hanging over the water.

"You climb that, you can get a great view of them," Kitty explained, pointed to a specific branch. "They love boys too. But don't fall in—they like company so much they want to keep you."

Tyler nodded and bravely stepped up to the large, old tree. He got a good foothold, and good grip for his hand, and tried to climb. He got a few feet up, and almost slipped. The tree was moist with water from a recent rain, and it made things a little slippery. Tyler grew a little panicked, not liking heights much, even without the homicidal mermaids beneath the water surface threatening him.

"You all right up there?" Kitty laughed.

"Sure," Tyler assured her. "Not a problem…"

Kitty gave him a look, but he was insistent.

"Oh, yeah," Tyler shrugged pridefully. "As a kid I _lived_ in a tree. The guys used to call me Monkey-Boy, even."

"Okay, Tarzan," Kitty agreed with caution. "Just be careful."

"Sure thing," Tyler said shakily, then finally reached the specified branch. He gazed into the water, just barely making out shadows swirling in the ripples. He leaned in to get a clearer look…

That's when his foothold slipped. Tyler lost his balance, and fell out of the tree like a rock, hitting the water with the harsh slap of a bellyflop. It hurt, but his mind was not on the pain. It was on the celestial water angel staring back at him when he opened his eyes under the water. She was blonde, her full-length hair riddled with lake weeds and her entire body covered with the glitter of fish scales. Her long tail was the color of fresh moss on a rock, standing out boldly in the midst of the blue water. It was thin and delicate like the mane-like fins of an angelfish. She was also very much topless, with only the rats-nest mass of hair to cover her. The little skin Tyler could see radiated with non-existent sunshine. She was beautiful. She had several friends soon join her, captivated with Tyler's presence in their domain. One had green hair, another a pale pink, another the darkest of blacks.

Suddenly, they jumped him, grabbing his leg when he tried to swim away. They attacked his clothing, tearing it like it was a Christmas present they had been waiting for. They were quite a bit stronger than one would expect of women, and kept a firm grip on Tyler as he struggled to get to the surface, if not to escape, then just to get some air into his screaming lungs. He heard Kitty's frantic voice as if very far away, not able to make out a single word. His own heart beat so hard in panic that he could hear it through his ears. He began to feel paralyzed, helpless, starting to accept that this just might be the end of him…

-

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Please review.**

**Signed,  
RedRogue**


	11. Being Chapter the Eleventh

**Being chapter the eleventh.**

**-**

Suddenly a large hand pierced through the water, grabbing Tyler by the arm and yanking him upwards. Tyler was thrust so hard up to the surface he thought his arm was going to come clear out of the socket. The lethal mermaids scattered like cockroaches to a bright light, especially when Kitty went after them with a large stick, attacking the water with vigorous force, yelling:

"Back! Back you savages!"

Once dragged onto the moist, earthy shore, Tyler felt like kissing the ground in gratitude that he had gotten to see dry land again, instead of being buried in it as a dead man. He coughed out a bit of lake water, and the giant hand let him go.

"It is lucky for you I was passing by," the abnormally large man said from several heads above Tyler's own. "Kitty would have never been able to pull you out of there by her lonesome."

"Yeah, thanks," Tyler said, as the large man helped him to his feet.

"Nice save, Daniel," Kitty said as she rushed to Tyler's side. Very worried and ashamed, she wiped the dirt and lakeweed from the few clothes that had managed to withstand the rampage of the mermaids, which included shreds of his shirt and boxer shorts.

"I am SO so so sorry," she said anxiously. "I don't know what I was thinking, that was so totally dumb letting you go up that tree like that, over ravenous mermaids, no less! And-- and I totally didn't think--"

"Kitty," Tyler said seriously. "It's okay! We can talk about it after I get some clothes."

"Oh!" Kitty said agreeably. "Right. Yes, let's get you covered up-- Uh, not that you should be covered up, or that I _want_ you covered up, well, I mean, not that I'm saying I _don't_ want you covered up--"

"Kitty!" Tyler snapped her out of it. "_Little_ cold here!"

"Yes, alright."

Kitty led Tyler back the way they had come, while Daniel lingered behind, watching the two drift into the trees with a sad look in his eyes… Something that didn't go unnoticed by Tyler.

-

Ro walked with a determined stride, a woman on a mission, probably hoping to get rid of Reid as soon as possible, but he insisted on walking like turtle. Glaciers and ninety year olds with walkers went faster than him. If he went any slower he'd be moving backwards. And to top it off, he found it amusing. What a child.

"Pick it up, would ya?" Ro asked impatiently, trying to grab his arm to make him go faster.

"Enjoying the sights," Reid lied through his teeth, gazing at the bare white walls as if they were world famous works of art. The more she fought him, the slower he went.

"Stop being stupid, com'on!" Ro commanded, practically dragging him along the hall. Reid flicked off her hold.

"No!" he countered. "I like this hall. I think I need to bask in the glory of it a little longer."

"You can bask in the glory of your room. Move your butt."

"Where's the fire? Patience is a virtue."

"Not one of mine."

That's when Ro began to get it. Reid knew. She didn't know how he found out, but somehow he knew. The bum. She folded her arms crossly.

"This has nothin' to do with me goin' off with Rems after I drop ya off, does it?"

"_No_, of _course_ not," Reid said with sarcasm dripping from his tone. "Why would I care who you plow through this week?"

"Ex_cuse_ me?" Ro said, her mouth gaping open in shock. "Your blondeness is taking over your intelligence--What exactly are you tryin' to say?"

"I think I was pretty clear," Reid said, crossing his arms too, facing her off bravely. "I called you a _slut_."

It took everything inside of Ro to hold back from hitting him, knowing her heightened strength might bash his skull in if she dared. She clenched her fists and stumbled a bit in her stance like she was being held back by invisible referees.

"You--! You--! How can ya _say_ such a thing?!"

"It's pretty easy—you just put your tongue in the front of your mouth, start with the 'sss' sound--"

"That's not what I meant, you jackass, and you know it!"

"Well, gee," Reid said, throwing his hands into the air. "Maybe it's the fact that you're fraternizing with a MARRIED MAN! You want to tell me that's not true—go ahead, I would be _more_ than happy to hear those words!"

Ro folded her arms and glared at the wall to her right.

"Who told ya Rems was married?"

Reid turned away and stormed down the rest of the hall, growling:

"Wrong answer."

"_Reid_!" Ro started to go after him again.

"For_get_ it!" Reid shot over his shoulder as he kicked open the door to his room. "You're _good_ at that!"

That's when he slammed the door behind him, so hard and loud it made Ro jump. She really and truly didn't get it. What was wrong with that boy? The last she could remember about the night they met was that they had gotten along all right. What was this animosity nonsense? She frowned, and decided to let it go. Like everything else, he probably just needed some time getting used to the idea.

-

Pogue had to admit, he felt a little uncomfortable with Etrigan, the fiancée of the same girl he had tried to pick up back at Nicky's bar. Etrigan didn't seem too friendly towards him either. Still, he followed Etrigan through a side door that he would have never even noticed was there, had Etrigan not pointed it out. Through the door was an apparent storage area, with many strange objects that Pogue didn't really gather the use for. Most of the items looked like abstract art, or even tools of some kind. Etrigan didn't linger by the random rows of shelves, but led him around the maze to a clearing. It was there Pogue first laid eyes on the very things that would change his life forever.

"They're…" Pogue began, barely able to utter words.

"Yeah," Etrigan agreed. "They're beauts, ain't they?"

The Nohc, as Etrigan called them, was in all essence a motorcycle in appearance, but with something more to it. The wheels were huge and far apart, with the hind wheel stretching out far behind like a backwards Harley. The handlebars were guarded behind small screens to protect the hands. Large rockets stuck obviously out the back. The sleek metal design made them look like the Porsche of all two-wheeled vehicles. Pogue felt unworthy in their godly presence.

"You wanna race?" Etrigan asked Pogue with a harsh glimmer in his eye, the kind of look a bully gives a small child before they are about to pound the living tar out of them. Pogue stood taller to overcompensate his nervousness.

"On-- on the nitro-bikes?"

"You said you rode them all the time…" Etrigan challenged.

"Oh, sure," Pogue agreed. "It's just, these must be the older models… I mean, they're practically antique… You sure you didn't get them from a museum somewhere?"

"Museum, _sure_," Etrigan snickered in offense, then shoved a helmet at Pogue's chest. "You're going to need that."

Etrigan took his time as he buckled his own helmet on.

"This baby has some of my own _personal_ touches," Etrigan boasted as he patted the bike fondly. "Had a witch from Tulend give my nitro that extra '_spark_'. It's illegal, but hell, I haven't been caught _yet_…!"

He went to the nearby wall, and opened the double doors to reveal a vast empty plain with a few scatters trees, with tall grass as far as the eye could see. Etrigan went back to his bike, and hopped on.

"Don't crash," he advised, then kicked on the starter. Pogue didn't even see him go, just one minute he was there, the next, he was off into the far distance. Pogue looked down at the machine he currently sat on, and kicked on the engine carefully. He gently slipped his fingers around the gas, barely touching the rubber of the handle, before the bike jetted off into the distance faster than he could think of telling it to stop.

He barely managed to avoid a tree when he regained his senses on the thing, zooming through the grass until he reached a canyon valley. He started to make out Etrigan in the distance.

And that's when the fun began.

-

Tyler pulled the blanket tighter around himself as he shivered in the cold room that was appointed to him by Sybilla. The fire was graciously cozy, lending out it's warmth as if specifically for Tyler. Kitty was more than a bit wet from her fight with the lake water, and she too, sat with a furry blanket around her, quite a distance from Tyler on the single couch they sat upon facing the flames. Tyler had changed into suitable clothes, but the freezing weather of the night came through the windows.

"I'm really sorry about the 'mer-mania' back there," Kitty apologized for the thousandth time. Tyler shook his head.

"It's cool, Kit."

"Got cold really quickly, huh?"

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a few more moments.

"So…" Tyler asked anxiously. "When are we going to get this curse off of us?"

"Tyler," Kitty giggled. "You've only been here a little while. Give Sybilla some time!"

"It just seems too good to be true, you know?" Tyler sighed. "We've lived with this all our lives, we've fought the addiction every day since the age of thirteen… and now? To use without limits… I mean, you have no idea what it means to me."

Kitty scooted a bit closer on the hard couch, giving Tyler an empathetic gaze.

"I can imagine," Kitty assured him. "I mean, I use my powers so passively, I guess I take them for granted, you know? I don't know what I'd do if I could only use them, like, _sparingly_…"

Tyler looked right back at Kitty, the firelight casting a lovely glow on her apricot skin. She had let her hair down out of the eternal ponytail for it to dry better, and it suited her. He scooted a bit closer to her too.

"It's so easy to talk to you, Kitty," Tyler admitted with a contented sigh. "You understand me so well."

"I know!" Kitty agreed. "We're like, I don't know, kindred spirits or something—it's totally awesome."

Tyler bit his lip and looked elsewhere. He was getting more edgy by the second.

"So that guy back there…" he said, feeling a little verbally clumsy. "He seemed pretty… sweet on you."

"Who, Daniel?" Kitty said with a genuinely confused frown. She blushed when Tyler nodded in confirmation. "Oh, he's… he's just a friend. I mean, we used to date. A long, _long_ time ago. Now, he's just, like, a big brother."

"A _really_ big brother," Tyler muttered. He cringed nervously. "He's not going to… hurt me, is he?"

Kitty laughed, and scooted little closer to Tyler.

"No!" she assured him. "He's not really the violent type."

"So…" Tyler said, his ears turning redder. "You like pacifists, then, huh?"

Kitty eyed him suspiciously, a grin on the edges of her mouth. Tyler scooted over, closing the last bit of space between them on the couch.

"Because…" he went on. "_I've_ been known to turn down a good fight my_self_…"

-

**  
Please review.**

**Signed,  
RedRogue**


	12. Being Chapter the Twelfth

**Being chapter the twelfth.**

**-**

Fin said goodnight to Caleb and closed his door. His uneasy emotions made her wonder what was on his mind that was making him so upset. She knew he had only felt this intensely after the Covenant's first lesson with Sybilla today. What had she told him?

Fin knew better than to pry into his mind without permission. Now wasn't the time for her fiery temper to be set ablaze either.

That's when she felt it. It was so strong Fin doubled over from the weight of it. Such a heavy weight, coming from the direction of Sybilla's study…

-

Sybilla stood near her large window, staring out at the snowy night sky. People often asked her why she stood here, her empty gaze staring out the window, even though her sightless eyes could not see what was beyond it. Slowly her hand moved to touch the glass, sensing the cold frozen windowpane before her fingers even touched it. She would always insist that she could see through it, just not in the way others did.

A tear rolled down her cheek, her expression falling to a look of extreme sorrow. She felt like crumbling to the floor, but forced her legs to stand firm. She sniffed loudly in the quiet darkness, her breath going ragged.

"Headmistress?" she heard a soft voice from behind her. "Are you… okay?"

Sybilla gathered herself, and stood a bit taller. She hurriedly wiped the wet off her face.

"Oh, Fin," she said quickly. "I did not hear you enter."

She should have figured Fin would feel her pain. Fin always sensed these things more than her other pupils.

"What's troubling you?" Fin asked gently.

"There is no way to avoid it," Sybilla tried to explain. "No matter what I do, some form of the same future is inevitable."

"I wish you could tell me what was going to happen."

"I wish I knew," Sybilla admitted. "Like Roarden, no matter what I do, I can't see the precise future of any of the Covenant boys, not like I can with anyone else here. Most likely because they have the same magic that Roarden does. This… this frightens me."

"You think they might go against us?"

"Fin," Sybilla said. "One of them _will_. But I just can't see who…"

Fin stepped backward in surprise.

"Why?" she asked. "They all seem fairly happy with it all--" Fin stopped herself, her heart racing when she realized it. "Well, all except Reid. He's resentful of Ro for a reason I haven't discovered."

"I sensed this too," Sybilla agreed. "Watch him, Fin. Maybe there is still time to undo this."

Fin nodded in determination, then took her leave.

-

"That was the BEST ride of my life!" Pogue shouted as they wheeled the nitro bikes back into the garage. The night sky was the only thing that had made them turn around home, otherwise, Pogue would have still been going hundreds of miles-per-hour on the Nohc. For a while he had wondered why they were called hover bikes when they had wheels, but that was before he hit three hundred on the speedometer and the rockets kicked in as the wheels folded under. He had actually flown. And he had _loved_ it.

Etrigan snorted at Pogue's wild hair and blissful expression.

"Was that before or after I whooped your butt?" Etrigan shot back. "Because last I saw, you were eating my booster smoke, camel breath."

"No way!" Pogue countered, hanging up the helmet on the wall next to the rest. "I totally had you around that last turn, dummy."

"Like hell, you did! Com'on," Etrigan waved Pogue to follow him. "Let's get out of here before Fin comes and chews me out… "

"_What_ are you two doing down here?" Fin demanded from the doorway, just as Pogue and Etrigan turned around the corner. Etrigan looked at Pogue, as if expecting him to answer.

"Oh, uh…" Pogue wanted to avoid any potential scoldings, so he thought it best not to say they were out riding illegal vehicles at shocking speeds. "We were… he was showing me the Nohcs."

"_Was_ he now?" Fin said, giving Etrigan a condemning look. "Not _riding_ them, I hope, considering that we wouldn't want anything to _happen_ to the Chosen Ones…Etrigan."

"Yeah, sure, Red," Etrigan shrugged, not seeming like he was really listening. "It's just man stuff."

"'Man stuff'?" Fin repeated, crossing her arms as Etrigan scooted around her and out the door. Pogue went to do the same.

"Pogue," Fin said pleadingly. "Don't ride those things. One false move on them and you're dead, I mean it."

"So you'll let your fiancée ride them, but not me?" Pogue asked as he went by her. "I'd think about that one a little. Goodnight, Fin."

Pogue nodded at Etrigan one more time as they went off on their own ways, while Fin watched them suspiciously, wondering how a mutual appreciation for motorbikes had made them bond so fast. Her fiancée, and the guy she suspected of crushing on her… buddies? She wasn't sure if she was comfortable with that.

They smiled at one another before they parted ways, like they shared a troublesome childish secret that they were keeping from their mother. Fin hated that look more than anything. She couldn't stand when people treated her like a parent who was out to spoil the fun of everyone. Could she help it if she was the only one around here with _sense_?

-

Ro changed in front of her mirror into her long satin pajamas, even though the room was freezing. She put an extra log into the fire for more warmth, and checked the clock on her wall. Where was Rems? He was supposed to be here an hour ago. How long did it take for him to take a shower anyway?

She sighed and suspected he had left without saying goodbye, _again_. It was all the better, seeing as he wasn't really supposed to be here in the first place, but she still felt a bit disappointed. She had wanted to taste those lips of his one more time, as a final fix to last her through the long weeks without him…

She fluffed her hair in her vanity mirror, and that's when she noticed him in her reflection, staring at her from the bedroom doorway. He was in his usual pose, leaning against the doorframe, and silently appreciating her form.

"I thought you'd left already," Ro confessed.

"I'm leavin' right now…" Rems countered with a smile, entering the room fully and gently closing the door behind himself. "Can't ya tell?"

"I wish it didn't hafta be like this…" Ro groaned.

"I wish I could stay here too, Ro," Rems agreed sadly, brushing some of the hair out of her face. "I wish Roarden had never forced me to marry that blonde witch, and I wish I could go back to being a Guild soldier like you and Fin and Etrigan and all the others. But I'm really makin' a difference doin' this, ya know?"

"I know." Ro sounded like she knew quite well that it was truth, but still wasn't happy about it. "But I hope you aren't doin' this as a masochistic thing. You don't have to make up for your past sins by punishing yourself through Roarden."

"Workin' for Roardy ain't the punishment, Sugar," he said as he scooted aside the bushy hair from Ro's shoulder and kissed the cleared spot. "It's leavin' _you_ behind…"

As he worked his way up her neck, Ro sighed in heartache, wishing her life were easier. She used her self-trained ability of mental control to push aside her worries for now, and simply enjoy Rems's company while she had it. She sighed again, this time in contentment, letting the lady-killer she had grown to love work his practiced skill on her.

But as he scooted his hand around her waist to hold her close while he kissed her, she began to feel something strange. Her mind began to grab hold of an odd sense of _de-ja-vu_, something screaming to get out. She tried to ignore it, but it nagged at her brain, distracting her. Rems was kissing her in such a way that someone else already had…

Ro tried to return Rems's deep kissing with as much enthusiasm, but she still couldn't bring herself to place why this all felt so bizarre. Rems paused his kiss to unbuckle his belt, then continued onward, reaching around her back as he reconnected his mouth to hers. She wondered why at that instant, of all moments, Reid's words to her from earlier that day came to mind.

_Alright, fine… The other night— _

What was he trying to tell her then?

Ro's bra hit the floor, and Rems pulled her closer to him. His hands felt nice palming her back. Still, Reid insisted at being in the front of her mind.

_Forget it… you're good at that_.

Why would he say that? What was she supposed to remember? Something about the other… night?

And that's when it hit her.

It fell on her like a ton of bricks, almost knocking the wind out of her. Her eyes went wide and her throat clenched shut. She couldn't breathe as the images flashed through her mind's-eye, ones of a grinning Reid holding her neck as he kissed her… him pulling off his shirt to reveal his white chest and tattooed arms… Her hands on the muscles of his back… his eyes hovering above her as his blonde hair tickled her face… It was as if it was happening all over again. She could taste him on her lips, smell his sweat in her nose, feel his fingertips on her skin… It was so vivid it overwhelmed her.

Ro shoved Rems away from her, perhaps a little too hard, as he stumbled a bit. Surprise and confusion went across his features, as Ro held her forehead in bewilderment, her breath beyond catching.

"I… I have to go…" she stammered, grabbing the nearest piece of clothing she could grab, which was one of Rems's shirts, and stumbled to the door in a flustered sense of urgency.

-

**  
Please review.**

**Signed,  
RedRogue**


	13. Being Chapter the Thirteenth

**Being Chapter the Thirteenth.**

**-**

Reid shivered in his bed, watching the snow falling outside and wondering how it had gotten so cold here in a matter of hours. The small blanket wasn't doing much good insolating his body heat. He steamed over the fact that Rems had gone to sleep in Ro's room instead of his own, and the fact that Tyler still hadn't come back from wherever the hell he was. Between the cold, the unusual absence of Tyler, and his anger toward the injustice that was embodied in Ro, sleep became impossible. Not to mention, he imagined he could hear all sorts of noises that he prayed weren't what he thought they were, coming from next room over. Small bumping noises, coming… closer?

He jumped at the firm knocking at his door.

"Reid, open up!"

It was Tyler. Reid sighed in frustration and went to the door, unlocking the hitch.

"Dude!" Tyler burst in. "Why'd you lock the door!?"

"We're camping out in a school of supernatural freaks-- I'm locking the door at night. You have something on your face."  
"I KNOW, isn't it GREAT?!" Tyler yelled in excitement, rushing to the nearest wall mirror to see it for himself. "It's some of Kitty's lipgloss. No joke—She totally _kissed_ me, Reid!"

"You didn't smear some lipgloss on _yourself_ like _last_ time, did you?" Reid sighed, going over to look in the mirror with him.

"I've _never_ done that!" Tyler retorted as if offended. "Susie really DID kiss me in seventh grade!"

"Yeah, uh huh, okay…" Reid said, examining the pink smudge on Tyler's cheek like an official lipgloss inspector. He held Tyler firmly by the face and turned his chin slightly to the side to get a better look at it. Reid squinted and frowned, and Tyler awaited his diagnosis.

"She missed your mouth," Reid proclaimed with a chuckle.

"What?" Tyler said in surprise, checking the mirror again. "No, she didn't—that's totally a kiss!"

"That's a peck, Baby Boy."

"It's a kiss, Reid—I would know; I was _there_!"

"Sorry, all I'm hearing is your mouth screaming 'virgin lips'!"

"Shut up. We were practically making out."

"Oh, uh, in your dreams, you mean?"

That's when there was another knock at the door, and Tyler held all comments on the matter until after the guest was attended to. Reid sighed and answered the door again. This time, it _was_ Ro. Her mouth was open as if she was preparing to say words that refused to come out. Reid sighed heavily at the sight of her, especially when he noticed that she was clad in a man's t-shirt that was more than likely Rems's.

"Nice shirt," Reid growled, his rage boiling. "As if I could think you were _any_ _MORE_ of a whore, you have to come and show up in-- mufghfmmm!"

Without warning, her lips had crashed onto his, as she flung herself at him so hard it made him stumbled backward in surprise. Tyler let out a "Geez!" as he dived out of their way, narrowly avoiding the two as Reid bumped onto the nearby desk, making a cup of pens fall to the floor. As soon as Reid regained his senses, he was holding Ro by the cheeks, drinking Ro in fully, letting out moans like he was eating something utterly delicious. He returned the kiss full-force, loved every second of the fiery bliss between them…

That's when Ro finally gathered that Tyler was in the room, and with flushing cheeks, yanked away from Reid, even farther than what was needed to make her point.

Silent glances were exchanged between the three for several moments… Then, Ro abruptly turned and simply left the room.

"Now _that_," Reid stated boldly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he panted to get oxygen flowing in his lungs again. "Was a _KISS_."

Suddenly, Reid held his stomach and doubled over, looking like he was going to be sick. He held onto the desk to keep upright as he grew ghostly pale.

"Uh… suddenly I don't feel so good…"

That's when he began to turn green and hold his mouth.

"Whoa!" Tyler exclaimed, rushing to his side. "Reid?"

Reid quickly shoved Tyler out of his way and bolted to the room's trashcan, heaving into it several times. Tyler felt a little sick himself from having to watch it. He frowned in pity, and rushed to help Reid back onto his feet.

"Reid… what the hell--?!" Tyler paused as Reid vomited again, barely avoiding Tyler's foot. "We'd better find a doctor," Tyler said as if the matter was already decided.

Tyler practically dragged Reid out the door, making a considerable effort to achieve such, and tried to flag Ro from way down the hall.

"Little help?!" Tyler called desperately, making Ro turn and quickly assess the situation. She retraced her steps with lightning speed, easily lifting Reid to his feet with her heightened strength.

"Oh, God!" Ro breathed as she helped Reid rush down the hall. "My curse!"

Reid made to throw up again, but seemed to have nothing left in him to spew out.

"Curse, what curse--?" Tyler demanded to know what was happening to his best friend. "You mean like ours?"

"No, no," Ro shook her head. "My skin is poisonous on contact. I completely forgot--"

"_POISON_?" Tyler yelled. "You _poisoned_ my friend?"

"It--it's not deadly… I don't think."

"You don't _think_?"

Ro seemed flustered and unable to say more. They finally reached the hospital house, as Ro directed. Tyler recognized the place, having visited before, and noticed a sleeping Lysander just where they had left him the day before. Dahlia was straightening out items on a shelf, keeping to herself.

Ro herded the boys over to where a giant, furry animal-man in a white lab coat and spectacles hanging from his neck, was seen fiddling with a few test tubes. His fur was blackish in color, giving him the resemblance to a very furry, fanged gorilla, with long arms and hunched over in such an ape-ish demeanor. He might almost be frightening if it weren't for the kind face and well-groomed clothing he wore.

"This would be quite disconcerting if this were to detonate," the huge man said to himself, stroking the longer hairs on his beastly chin. "Disconcerting… yet provocative!"

"Harry," Ro hissed as to not wake the sleeping patients. "This is kinda urgent?"

"One moment," the furry man waved them to sit down in a few small wooden chairs off to the side. He seemed quite preoccupied with whatever he was doing.

"Harry!" Ro tugged on his white sleeve. "_Dying Chosen One_, here!"

"Ah," Harry immediately put aside his glass vials of various colored liquids, and lifted his hanging pair of spectacles on his nose. He looked at Reid closely, his massive hand grabbing him by the chin, his fingers stretching out to either side of Reid's ears.

"Seems a rather healthy young lad to me," Harry sniffed the air, then hurriedly took out a prescription pad, obviously rushing them along so that he might get back to his experimenting. "Though, he's smelling rather putrid, of course, it might just be my amplified smelling sense, I'd say. I'd suggest a nice hot bath, maybe soak in some lavender for a good hour--"

"Harry!" Ro snapped. "_Look_ at him!"

Reid groaned and clutched his stomach tighter.

"Hmm," Harry nodded agreeably. "Yes, maybe old spice and rosemary would prove more sufficient. Maybe a _chilled_ bath—might relieve some of that enflamed _mating_ odor he's currently emitting--"

"_Harry_!" Ro clapped her hands to demand his attention. Tyler snickered at this, while Reid was glaring at Tyler, warning him to not say a word.

"My cursed skin has poisoned him. He's blowing chunks all over the place—help him!"

"Oh, you're worried about _that_?" Harry straightened his glasses. "Yes, well… Nothing to do about _that_ until he stops, I'm afraid."

"Will he be alright?" Tyler asked worriedly.

"Sybilla's curses were never so dire to have any permanent results inflicted on others. Just enough to give them the message. He'll be down with a monumental flu for a good twenty-four hours, then he should be fine."

Tyler sighed in relief at this, and patted Reid on the back, happy his friend would live to see tomorrow.

"Why don't you leave him here for overnight observation?" Harry pointed to an open hospital bed near Lysander.

"Sounds good," Ro agreed. She effortlessly lifted Reid off his feet and cradled him in her arms like a mere child, and gently put him down on a nearby bed. She pulled the blanket over him and wiped back the sweaty blonde strands away from his face. Reid seemed sleepy, probably having spent all his energy and resources into throwing up everything in his stomach. He lazily turned his head to look at Ro, and slowly forced a smile onto his lips.

"You remembered," he stated, but his eyes seemed to be looking for confirmation. Ro nodded in agreement.

"I remembered."

**-**

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	14. Being Chapter the Fourteenth

**Being Chapter the Fourteenth.**

**-**

The next day, Fin knocked on Caleb's door as she cuffed the sleeves of her coat in a hurry. Caleb opened the door, looking equally as rushed, and slung his backpack over his shoulder. They both knew they were late for class.

"You again?" Caleb asked with surprise.

"Etrigan is rather busy hanging out with his new best friend Pogue," Fin snorted with displeasure. "I'm covering you again for today."

"Is Reid feeling any better?"

"With Ro acting as his nurse, he'd milk it for a whole other day, at least," Fin replied as they walked together. "But I made Ro force him to come with. I'm more worried about Pogue. To be honest, I sense strongly that he feels he has something to prove to Etrigan. And Etrigan is not the kind of man you can ever live up to. Ever."

"Pogue's not trying to prove anything to Etrigan," Caleb stated as-a-matter-of-factly. "He's trying to prove it to _you_."

Fin wanted to deny this accusation with everything in her, but her senses had been telling her that since the beginning, thus she had no way to argue.

"How do you figure?" she asked instead.

"Well," Caleb chuckled. "Pogue's never been one to hide his feelings well."

Caleb hit the button for the elevator, and together they impatiently awaited it. A sly smile grew out the edges of Caleb's mouth, as he peered at her out the corner of his eye.

"I'm in love with Etrigan," Fin insisted, her face deadpanned.

"I didn't _ask_," Caleb countered right back.

"You didn't have to." Fin shot him an angry look of warning, and decided she would take the stairs.

"He's really a great guy…!" Caleb called after her. "Why don't you give him a chance?!"

"Give it up, Caleb!" Fin advised as she turned around the corner.

Caleb sighed and walked on with her, shoving his hands into the pockets of his corduroy peacoat. But when he came around the hall, he nearly bumped into Fin, who had stopped abruptly in the middle of the walkway, her face frowning in wonder. Caleb followed her line of sight to Kitty, who was holding hands with Tyler, while they both stared quite fondly at one another. But no, Caleb noticed, Fin wasn't looking at them. Her eyes were on Reid, who was sprawled out on the couch with his head contently on Ro's lap as she stroked his hair with her gloved hands.

"What is this-- Date a Chosen One Day?" Fin muttered under her breath, more in surprise than irritation.

"Something wrong?" Caleb asked her with concern.

Fin frowned even more. What was _wrong_ was that Ro was a walking hazard, not only emotionally but physically now as well, AND not to mention Reid was a potential traitor, AND Sybilla had warned against them falling in love. This was not good.

"_Yes_, something's wrong!" Fin said, a little angrier than she meant. It was probably just as well she fake her annoyance to make sure Caleb got the point. "Just try and keep your flirty little Covenant's hands off my Syrens, alright Boy Scout?"

"_What_?!" Caleb said with offense. "You keep your sleazy little Syrens' hands off my _Covenant_!"

Caleb's voice was a little loud to ignore, so the two couples behind them stopped what they were doing to listen.

"Oh, you did NOT just ho-afy my friends!" Fin said, putting her hands on her hips and staring _way_ up at the tall Caleb.

"LOOK at them!" Caleb said, pointing to his side but keeping his confrontational eyes on Fin. "They ho-afied them_selves_!"

Ro gasped in offense, while Kitty rushed in front of Fin to intervene.

"Fin, calm down…" Kitty coaxed. "Think of your temper…"

"Screw my temper!" Fin yelled. "Let me _at_ the punk!"

"Yeah?" Caleb taunted. "You want a piece of _this_, midget? Go for it!"

Caleb took a step back, letting his eyes go black and putting his hands up in preparation for anything to come. Fin's eyes ignited with fire immediately. Ro rolled her eyes.

"Now you've done it…"

Kitty yelled in protest.

"Fin, no!"

But it was too late. Fin had already launched the first blow, sending Caleb into a bookcase behind him, making a picture on a nearby wall crash to the floor, along with several books. Caleb wasn't down for long, already forming baseballs of energy in each hand, and throwing them at Fin one after another. It was the only chance he'd get.

"HEY!" Etrigan stepped in-between the two, the spheres of launched energy dissipating into his chest, absorbing it like a sponge to water. "Chosen One or not—I don't like the kind of man that hurts girls. And you just happened to pick on the wrong girl."

"Etrigan, I don't need you to fight my battles," Fin snorted.

"_Both_ of you stand down!" Ro said getting into the mix too. Her strength was the only thing holding Etrigan back from tearing Caleb to pieces. "I don't care who hurt _whose_ pride. But we have a job to do, and if ya'll can't do it…"

"What for?" Etrigan growled. "Suddenly Roarden getting a hold of these fools doesn't sound so bad… A few days of torture and Roarden ripping their Power out through their noses might teach them a little appreciation. I'm done with them."

"Etrigan!" Fin called after him, but he had already snorted at each boy of the Covenant in disdain and sauntered off.

"I don't think he's coming with us today," Kitty stated the obvious.

"I'm sorry, Fin," Caleb said to the redhead sincerely. "I don't know why I said that."

Fin glared at Caleb, not ready to forgive him just yet. The person that dared insult her friends was not going to mend it with a simple apology.

"Whatever," Fin rolled her eyes. "Let's go drag Lysander out of his sick bed. I'm sure he'll be _real_ happy about going back on duty."

-

"I can't believe this-- What an _outrage_! I was hurt in the line of duty, and I still can't get an honest day's rest? I mean, _really_…!" Lysander fumed all the way back through the portal.

"Com'on, stop whining, Lys," Tyler said with a grin. "You'll be back in fair lady Dahlia's arms soon enough."

Kitty giggled, and Lysander was immediately furious.

"You can't mean the vampiress?" he scoffed. "Despicable notion! I suppose now would be as good a time as any to educate you on the fact that vampiresses around here are commonly associated with _whores_. They have no sense of discretion. It's torture to even be close to a vile monster as her."

"Torture because you won't let yourself _be_ with her, you mean," Caleb added on. Lysander snorted in displeasure.

"I will say no more on the matter."

"Hey, it's _your_ dirty little secret," Tyler threw his hand up in surrender. "Not ours."

"Give it up, Tyler," Ro laughed. "Lysander's more stubborn than a redwood root."

Lysander folded his arms indignantly, but didn't pursue it.

"Ahhh," Reid rubbed his hands together as they all emerged out of the storage closet. "It's good to be back in the real worl--"

"Oh, no," Fin interrupted suddenly, staring disdainfully off into the distance. Ro quickly followed her line of sight.

"Oh, _hell_ no," Ro agreed. Kitty and all the rest were the next to see the foul group of boys off in the distance.

"Aww, who gave those buttheads a portal?" Kitty whined.

Caleb frowned at the boys standing distantly in the otherwise empty hallway. It wasn't hard to guess why the girls didn't like their presence—they were dressed like hoodlums and looked ready to rob the nearest gas station, minus the ski masks.

One of them was abnormally short and a little greenish in skin tone, with a wide face and long sandy hair. He was deathly thin, his stick-legs with kneeholes worn into his jeans. His stance was slouched and hunchbacked, like he carried a heavy burden on his skinny shoulders.

"Morty Fisher," Kitty pointed out.

Another was a large contrast to the first. He was massive, largely round and bald headed, dressed in military themed clothing. His feet were like that of an elephants, his hands like cinder blocks, and his every movement shook the earth beneath him.

"Duke Hamilton," Kitty went on.

The last was a James Dean-esque man, lean and toned, with a leather jacket and tight, cuffed jeans. His brunette hair was slicked back like he just came from the fifties era, and his brown eyes mocking them with their cool glare.

"And last but certainly not least," Kitty said as the group of boys began to make their way over. "Dominic Byrnes."

"Who are they?" Tyler was the first to ask.

"The Hoods."

"Does _every_ magical group have to have a name?" Reid said cynically.

"They're just punks out to spoil our day," Ro replied. "They work for Roarden. No doubt they're here to nab _you_ four when our backs are turned. How did they find us?"

The boys spotted them as well, and Dominic waved for the others to follow him over to greet them.

"Stand back," Fin said, stepping out in front of them protectively. "Don't respond to them, it's what they want."

"Fin, Fin, Fin…" Dominic called out, strutted over to the group of Covenants and Guardians with a cocky, leaned back stroll. "And, Kitty and Ro too! So we have Spicy, Cutie and Sexy all here, what a treat."

"Hey there, shnookems—miss me?" Morty said with batting eyelashes at Kitty. He puckered his lips and made kissing noises as he stood on his tiptoes to reach her mouth. Tyler frowned and moved to interfere. Kitty beat him to it.

"Ew, icksome!" Kitty exclaimed, pushing Morty back by the forehead roughly.

"Get used to seeing a lot more of us," Dominic warned, pulling out a student ID card from his pocket. "We're credible students."

All three mouths of the Syren girls dropped in shock and horror.

**-**

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	15. Being Chapter the Fifteenth

**Being Chapter the Fifteenth.**

-

"What?!" Fin said, leaning close to inspect the card. "Where'd you get the money to enroll? And don't lie with some lame scholarship excuse, because there's no _way_ bums like you could _ever_--"

"Had dearest Roarden front the dough," Dominic explained with a forever-scoffing tone. "Who said evil doesn't pay…? Lookin' good, Ro. Isn't too late to get back in our ranks, you know."

Ro crossed her arms and turned her back on him.

"That was a past life, Byrnes. I grew up, unlike you clowns."  
Reid quirked an eyebrow at her, but saved his questions for a later time.

"And you grew up _nicely_, might I add…" Dominic said, getting up in her face.

"You wanna run that by me _again_, Fonzie?" Reid said, but Ro quickly yanked him back.

"Don't, Reid," she coaxed.

"Yeah, I can tell this is going to be a _great_ school year," Dominic laughed fondly as Ro held Reid at bay.

"We'll see if evil motivation will be the miracle to make you even bother to _show_ _up_," Fin snapped.

"Well, I can think of three _other_ reasons why I might show my face," Dominic said with a smile directed at each girl in turn. He wiggled his eyebrows and growled. "Rrr-reow…"

"You know _what?_" Tyler was the next to pounce, but Pogue held him by the collar.

"So vicious!" Dominic laughed. "You have a right to be afraid, Covenant, I assure you."

"Try to keep it in your pants, Dommy," Fin snorted. "Animals like you should be kept in a cage."

"Or in the nearest love-nest-- nah mean?" he winked. Pogue shifted in his stance and exchanged angry glances with Caleb as Dominic high-fived Morty.

"Now that you've managed to tick _everyone_ off in five minutes or less," Caleb snapped. "We're going to go now."

Caleb shoved Reid about-face and forced him on his way, hoping the rest of them would follow suit by themselves.

"Watch your backs, Chosen Ones!" Dominic called after them.

"Haha-- _yeah_!" Duke added on with a full laugh, to which Dominic gave him a harsh look and he quickly shut up after that.

Kitty shuddered as they parted ways, while Ro seemed angry and Fin was ever-the-composed. The four Covenant boys just listened in as the three Syren girls and Lysander argued amongst themselves.

"They were _supposed_ to be banned from the Earthen side," Kitty hissed.

"Well, Roarden is pretty much above the law around Aromesia, you know that," Fin reluctantly sighed.

"Now we not only have to watch our backs on the Aro side, but on the Earthen side too," Ro complained. "Could our guardian jobs be any harder?"

-

"Fin, wait up!" Caleb rushed to Fin's side after class. She sighed and didn't respond. "Look, I said I was sorry about what I said about your friends. Let me make it up to you. We're all going to Nicky's tonight. You having to stick by our side would mean you would have to join us. My treat-- What do you say?"

Fin frowned, unconsciously trying to hide the fact that she felt a bit warmed by the fact that he was striving so hard to mend his mistake. The man really _was_ a boy scout.

"Sure," she reluctantly agreed.

"Are you _really_ against my boys hooking up with your girls?" Caleb asked, shifting his book bag's strap to rest more comfortably on his shoulder.

"It's nothing personal," Fin confessed. "I'm just trying to go by what Sybilla tells me. The lady knows what she's talking about."

Fin spotted Reid leaning close to Ro in the locker halls, Ro considering their proximity for a moment, then mournfully pulling away.

"That curse is on Ro for a reason," Fin sighed frustratedly. "Yet it doesn't seem to be stopping them."

"Well, it's like you said yourself," Caleb replied. "Sometimes fate finds a way no matter what you do to stop it. Reid really seems to like her, and Tyler's the same way with Kitty."

Fin smirked.

"I'll bet you fifty bucks that my girls breaks your boy's hearts."

"No way, you're on," Caleb laughed. "My boys are tough. If anything, they'll break your girl's hearts first. Make it twenty-five a couple."

"Sounds like a wager, Danvers," Fin chuckled too. "Keep an eye on them, and we'll see."

"Yeah, we'll see," Caleb competitively agreed.

-

"I can't believe you!" Reid argued with Ro for the thousandth time that day, storming through _Nicky's_ front door in a huff. Tyler and the entire state of Massachusetts heard the arguing pair. Tyler glanced at Kitty as they stood around the pool tables watching Pogue and Fin play, wondering if she would intervene on Ro's behalf. She seemed oblivious to the fact that something might be wrong.

Reid clenched his fists as he stepped up to Ro.

"You are the most _irritating_ little--"

"Oh, _I'm_ irritatin'?" Ro threw her hands up in the air in aggravation. "I want to kiss ya as much as ya want to kiss me-- but ya know what will happen, Reid! Yet you and your male hormones _insist_…"

"Ex_cuse_ me, for wanting to show affection, you demented--"

"'_Affection_'?" Ro spat. "Don't feed me that 'affection' crap, Reid—You and I both know you are just trying to get some sugah off me like any other man…"

"This may come as a bit of a shock, but… I happen to be a guy, and you're _hot_! What do you expect?"

"Ya'll are such a fool ya don't even know when you're bein' foolish," Ro huffed. "I'm not speaking to you again for the rest of the night."

"You _promise_?"

"Aren't they so cute?" Kitty crooned dreamily, holding onto Tyler's arm for support. "I've never seen Ro so happy…"

Tyler cast Kitty an odd look that plainly said: 'that's _happy_?'

"I can't _stand_ you!" Ro slapped Reid across the face and went off towards the bar.

"I hope that drink is to wash down your _Midol_!" Reid shouted after her, and set himself down at the nearest table to stew in his anger.

"This is the first time Ro's had a drink since the night we met you," Kitty explained to Tyler. "Trust me, she's happy with her new addiction, and his name is Reid."

"Well," Tyler said, looking elsewhere. "She's not the only one happy."

Kitty jerked her head up to Tyler in surprise, and their locked stares lingered on one another for many moments.

"Tyler," Kitty bit her lip. "With you being a Chosen One and all, I really don't think we should--"

"You want to take a walk with me?"

"Yeah," Kitty replied quickly, forgetting everything she had been saying before. Together the pair headed towards the front entrance, holding hands and staring into each other's eyes all the while… slipping away unnoticed by even Fin…

-

"What is it?" Lysander asked suspiciously, peering into the clear liquid in the small shot glass. "And why are your drinking containers so small?"

"It's tequila, Lysander," Caleb laughed as sipped a soda for himself. "You think Eartheners are weak, wait until you get a load of our liquor. Go ahead; drink it. I dare you."

Pogue snickered, but Fin seemed to think it was a bad idea.

"Wait, Lysander, don't--"

But Lysander had already brought the glass to his lips, taking the tiniest sip of the drink. Fin gasped and didn't speak. Lysander frowned in deep concentration. He smacked his lips, tasting the drink on his tongue thoroughly, before swallowing. The other's watched in anticipation, wondering why Fin was wide eyed in fear.

Suddenly, Lysander fell from his chair to the floor with a loud THUD, causing the people around to stare.

"Lysander!" Fin squealed, hopping beside him immediately. The poor soul's eyes were still open, but they were glazed over and bloodshot.

"What did you do _that_ for?" Fin snapped at Caleb like he was utterly ignorant. "You can't give an elf earthen liquor-- they get affected a hundred times worse!"

"I didn't know!" Caleb replied as he and Pogue each grabbed an arm and helped Lysander back onto the chair.

"I cannt fewl mmlegs," Lysander announced in a slurry voice.

"Sorry, man," Caleb slapped him on the shoulder apologetically. Lysander rolled his head to look at Caleb.

"Iooo…" he started. "I… _hate_… Eartheners."

Caleb patted him again and nodded agreeably.

"Okay, that's understandable."

"Hey," Sarah said in a meek voice as she took a seat next to Caleb. Sarah made a point of pulling a seat in-between Caleb and Fin. Kate took a seat next to Pogue. Caleb nodded at Sarah, as uncomfortable silence over came the table. It seemed that once the girlfriends had made their appearance that all conversation was three times as hard to muster. Caleb twiddled his thumbs and glanced around the room. Reid was still with Ro by the pool tables… but where was…?

"Hey guys," Caleb asked to whoever would listen. "Where's Tyler?"

"Oh, we just passed him on our way in," Kate said. "He was with, um, Kitty is her name? Yeah, they were just talking to some guys…"

Caleb and Fin looked at one another in fear, and even Pogue was aroused in anxiety as Lysander drooled drunkenly onto his shoulder.

"What did these guys look like?" Fin asked gently.

"Oh," Kate furrowed her brow, trying to remember quickly. "One was really big, and another was really short and pale, and one of them was wearing a leather jacket…"

Caleb rose quickly from her chair.

"The Hoods," Caleb said breathlessly.

"They could already have Tyler," Fin said just as worriedly. "Watch Lysander," she commanded Pogue. "Caleb, let's go."

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	16. Being Chapter the Sixteenth

**Being Chapter the Sixteenth.**

-

Ro leaned down to take a shot at a striped ball, for the corner pocket. She took note to the fact that Reid was standing behind her, more than likely admiring her butt. She looked over her shoulder with a suspicious grin, as Reid approvingly raised his glass in her direction.

"Okay," Ro thought hard, concentrating back on the drinking game called 'Answer Me This' that they were playing while shooting pool. "Answer Me This, A-hole."

"Go ahead, bimbo," Reid said obligingly. Ro took her shot, and missed. For all her practice, she really was terrible at this game. Reid bent over and lined up his next shot like an old pro.

"Well, crackpot," Ro said, trying to think of the most embarrassing question ever in order to make him take another swig. She may be terrible at pool, but she was _great_ at drinking games.

"Truthfully now, on a scale of one to ten. How much does it matter that I can't be touched?"

Reid banged a ball harshly into the left corner pocket, then sauntered around to line another shot.

"Eh…" he considered this. "Do I have to answer that, dimwit?"

Ro smiled evilly.

"Or take a drink… elf lips."

"Fine, uh, let's say… a seven."

Ro was slightly hurt by this, cowering in disappointment.

"That high, huh?"

Reid shrugged and kept his eyes on the pool table.

"What can I say? You beg to be touched," he replied casually. "Your shot."

Ro chalked the tip of her cue stick, though she didn't know what good it would do her.

"What are we on?" she asked. Reid thought for a moment.

"Uh… 'F'."

"Frog face. Two points."

"This isn't Scattergories, you can't claim double word score, gremlin."

"That's Scrabble, hair-brain."

"Same difference… _ignoramus_."

"No, it isn't, ya jerk-off!"

"Okay, fine, Answer Me This, kookalicious: Had you been perfectly sober that first night we met… would you still have screwed me?"

Ro blushed and cast her gaze elsewhere.

"I'll take the drink."

Reid smirked rather victoriously as Ro downed a glass.

"Alright, lowlife," Ro wiped the side of her mouth. "While we're on the subject of that night, Answer Me This: Did you happen to remember _protection_ in our sudden burst of passion?"

Reid shrugged.

"Of course."

Ro dropped her chin doubtfully, giving him a very obvious look of disbelief.

Reid grabbed the drink anyway.

"But you will _ne_-ver know if that's true, will you?" he sang out tantalizingly, then took a sip. Ro cast him a resentful glare.

"Meathead," she muttered under her breath.

"Nympho," he retaliated right back with a victorious grin.

-

Kitty smiled at Tyler with pride as they walked through the alley together. It was great to finally get a moment alone with her, though this was hardly a romantic setting. The broken beer bottles and smell of urine _really_ added to the atmosphere of love…

"Kitty," Tyler said lowly. "We… you… I… Let me start again. I really like you."

Kitty blushed and turned away her flattered smile.

"I like you too, Tyler," she spoke through a tight mouth.

Tyler stopped walking and held her hand in both of his.

"Well then," he said nervously. "If I like you, and you like me… How about we make it official and… go out?"

"I thought we _were_ going out," Kitty giggled.

"Reid says it's not official… until we kiss." Tyler gulped and cleared his throat. "On the-- on the mouth."

Kitty blushed even redder now and fiddled with the end of her shirt.

"Reid…" she whispered. "He's a… a pretty smart guy."

Tyler shrugged, already starting to lean close.

"Yeah, for a blonde, I guess."

"Yeah…" Kitty breathed, feeling the warmth of his breath already. "For a…"

She never got to finish. Tyler held her against his mouth, utterly still, holding her tightly. They were both frozen, with their lips pressed against each other's with the skill of two kindergartners kissing in a sandbox. Even so, there was no way Reid could deny they had kissed _now_.

Suddenly, Kitty disconnected with a gasp, grabbing Tyler and making him intangible just in time to avoid a flying boulder. The ground quaked beneath their feet, as Dominic came into the alleyway, followed closely by Morty. Tyler held the wall to keep his balance.

"Hey, Kitty, Kitty…" Morty said with an evil smile. "Feeling curious?"

Kitty stepped in front of Tyler protectively.

"You're not going to touch us," she said with narrowed eyes.

"Says the intangible girl," Dominic laughed. "Sick 'em, Morty."

Morty hopped like a frog, lunging for Kitty and Tyler, but was surprised to find he never came down. Suspended in mid-flight, Morty looked between his legs to find the source of this oddity, to find Fin and Caleb standing behind them with outstretched hands.

"Maybe you didn't _hear_ Kitty right," Fin growled. "You aren't going to _touch_ them."

"Time to move," Kitty announced to Tyler. She grabbed him and dived out of harm's way, barely avoided an explosion of Fin's power directed at the boys. She grabbed Tyler's hand and ran low with him to the parking lot, ducking behind a nearby car for protection.

"What do they want?" Tyler asked Kitty above the noises of the explosions. He winced as one hit the other side of the car.

"They're after _you_!" Kitty shouted back. "Stay down! And don't use your power!"

Kitty jumped out from behind the car, going intangible as she did so.

"Caleb!" Fin called. "Go behind the car with Tyler!"

"No way!" Caleb refused. "I'm staying and fighting with the rest of you!"

"Like hell you're going to waste your power on _these_ clowns—go!"

"Wait!" Kitty ran up alongside of them. "Guys, don't you notice something missing here?"

"We have no time for games right now, Kitty," Fin said, trying to concentrate on letting her anger swell enough inside of her to bring out a good blast of fire, but Kitty was insistent.

"Like _Duke_, maybe?"

Caleb frowned.

"Fin, something's not right."

-

"Hello, pretty girl…" Duke called out to Ro as he grabbed a table. The guests of _Nicky's_ screamed and bolted at the sight of the abnormally large man, Kate and Sarah among them. Duke yelled and screamed to encourage their terror, but Nicky himself wasn't scared so easily.

"Not in MY bar, freak!" Nicky shouted, grabbing his bar and swinging it at Duke's hind legs. The bat snapped in half like a twig. Nicky realized quickly that this was not a battle he could win, and took off out the front door along with his costumers. Duke laughed and turned to face his prior target.

"Oh, crap," Ro said, taking several steps back. "Where's the other guardians when you need them?"

"Your friends are out there fighting _my_ friends," Duke replied. "So that I can nab _you_!"

"Pogue, get back!" Ro ordered.

Pogue dragged Lysander behind the bar, while Reid grabbed a pool stick.

"What makes you think that's gonna work for _you_?" Ro scoffed at Reid's battle-ready position.

"Extra charm," Reid replied, his eyes going black. A gray mist formed around the cue stick, making it five times as thick in size. Ro frowned.

"Reid, _stop_, your cur--"

"RO, WATCH OUT!"

A flying table crashed into Ro, knocking her to the ground. Duke proceeded to belly flop onto her back, crushing her underneath him.

"You get off her right now, lard ass!" Reid demanded. "Pogue, I could really use a _hand_!"

"But the Elf dude--!"

"_Now_, Pogue!"

Pogue dropped Lysander to the ground and quickly ran to Reid's side.

"Little Chosen Ones," Duke chuckled heartily. "What could you possibly do against _me_? I'm a _Titan_!"

Between Pogue and Reid, chairs and tables, pool balls and sticks, beer bottles and shot glasses, all flew around Duke, striking him from all sides. Duke acted as if it didn't even phase him, standing up easily and taking Ro out from underneath him. She wiggled like a mere insect in his grasp, unable to escape. His Titan strength was far greater than hers.

"Say goodbye to your boyfriend, pretty girl," Duke said, bring Ro up close to his face. Ro winced and pulled as far away as she was able, grossed out by their close proximity.

"Sheesh, Duke, have you ever heard of a toothbrush?" Ro gagged.

"Make jokes while you can," Duke warned. "You're going to be a slave for Roarden now, just like everyone else will soon! Ha ha! You'll see!"

"So _be_ it!" Ro replied haughtily. "Like I care. I'll be a needed sacrifice to _our_ winnin' _side_."

"You've already _lost_, little lady."

"I thought you said they were here for _us_?!" Pogue yelled in frightened confusion. "Ro?!"

"Ro!" Reid called, as Duke began to carry her off. All hovering objects and furniture suddenly dropped to the ground as both Pogue and Reid lost their concentration together. "Pogue, _do_ something!"

"Like what?" Pogue asked in wonder.

"It's okay, boys!" Ro called, as Duke slung her over his shoulder. "Let them have me-- I can handle myself!"

"NO!" Reid shouted in anger, but Pogue held him at bay, lest he get himself hurt.

"_Dammit_, Pogue, let _go_ of me!"

"Let her go, Reid," Pogue coaxed. "Her oath is better her than us. You have to let her do her job."

"Shut _up_, Pogue!"

Duke waved with a large, taunting smile, made his own exit through a wall with a pound of his fist, and carried Ro away. Reid finally squirmed free from Pogue's grasp.

"NO!" Reid called, making to run, if it weren't for Pogue grabbing a hold of his foot and making him fall on his face.

"Reid, don't be stupid!" Pogue scolded. "If Ro can't take him, _you_ sure can't!"

"NO!" Reid called desperately, as if in great pain. "_ROWENA_!"

-

Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue


	17. Being Chapter the Seventeenth

**Being Chapter the Seventeenth.**

-

Ro frowned as Duke shoved her through the black wood door, into the cold marble hall. Inside, was the gathering place of many Hoods, of all colors, shapes, sizes and sexes. Ro recognized some from when she used to be one of them, including Morty and Dominic, and even Scarlett, her old best friend, but many were new recruits. There were too many to even try an escape.

The floor was tiled with gray stone, the walls made of black brick. Upon the walls were nooses, steel spikes and various torture devices. Bones lined the floor around the walls like a sick decoration. Three guesses what room this was.

Yet, she would rather be here than in the main hall, where all the parties were. And these weren't the fun kind of parties. These were the evil parties, with rituals and strange customs that involved dark magics or pain of some kind. Roarden loved to sit and bask in the midst of one, holding a girl on a leash in one hand and a drink of wine and blood in the other. She would take torture any day over being at one of Roarden's parties.

At the end of the cold room, sat a single chair. The Hoods were gathered around it, awaiting the one who would occupy it. Ro's hands were bound in clinking chains, a heavy shackle around her ankles attached to a leash which Duke gripped in his fat hand. Every once in a while he would yank, just to show her who was boss. Ro just pursed her lips and held her head high. This would all be over soon.

Duke handed the chain to Dominic, who led her on the rest of her walk of shame.

"Guess where you are…!" Dominic said in a smooth, taunting voice. "You are right below the quarters of Roarden himself. He built his bed right above the torture chambers so he can go to sleep to the lullabies of screaming enemies."

Ro didn't dignify him with a response.

"Master!" Dominic called to the ceiling, his voice echoing through the large empty room.

"Master? What does he call you? Fido?" Ro scoffed. Dominic yanked on the chain, making her fall to her knees once more.

"I'm not the one on a _leash_," he reminded harshly.

Then Ro smelled it. That musty, smoky, sulfuric smell, like something was burning in a swamp. The slosh of muddy feet was heard, as Roarden shuffled down the stone stairway, taking his dear sweet time descending from his bedchamber.

"Hellooo, Syren," Roarden hissed through his teeth like the snake he was. "Hello helloooo…"

He strolled up casually to a small metal chair near a desk, then dragged it loudly across the marble floor. He took a seat. Ro just stayed on the ground and glared.

"When they told me they had… _captured_ a Guardian soldier as a prisoner of war, I didn't rightly believe them. My men, I'll be the first to admit, are incompetent, you see."

Ro looked to Dominic, who frowned then bowed his head. The rest of the Hoods just hid their own offense.

"But, they proved me wrong. Yay for themmm!" Roarden clapped enthusiastically. His smile only served to thoroughly creep her out. No one smiled in the room but him.

"Then again, you may have returned on your own will… coming home at last, Rowena…?"

Ro rolled her eyes and glared some more.

"Do you know why you have the _honor_ of standing before me today?"

"Because I guard the only thing that will bring you down," Ro readily replied. "The Chosen Ones."

"Ones that I chose," Roarden reminded pointing at his chest. "Me."

Ro began to grasp the direness of the situation, having discovered the fact that her being a Guardian had nothing to do with why she was in the presence of Roarden now. Something else was happening.

"That's not the reason I'm here, is it?" Ro breathed, her mind racing in thought. What else could it be?

"You reallllly don't know?" Roarden hissed in amusement. Now the others chuckled amongst themselves.

"You have something I want…" Roarden said, rising to his feet and closing proximity. Roarden picked up the chain from Dominic's hand and began to pull, like he would heave a sail to rise.

Roarden yanked her against him with one final tug, and held Ro close to his rancid face. He gripped his muddy hand firmly around the back of her white neck, and held her close to his cheek like he was embracing her. His lips were on her ears as he spoke.

"Something… only you can give me…"

His hands slid to her stomach, and then lower to her abdomen.

"You want me to sleep with you?" Ro spat in surprise, pushing his hand away. "I didn't even know you _liked_ women."

Roarden hissed at the insult and snapped his face up to hers, letting his tongue just almost graze her cheek. Ro winced in disgust, but didn't let out a sound. Roarden then gripped her hair, pulling her head back so that she would be sure to look him straight in the eyes.

"No—not the time for that, Rowena," he whispered. "You will be mine, in time…"

Ro's fear only grew. Her list of good guesses had just ended.

"Then what are you talking about…?"

Roarden's hands slipped to her stomach once more, and all too quickly Ro realized _exactly_ what he was talking about.

"The child…" he slurred. "Of the last feeemale Titan in Aromesia… and of a Chosen One himself… Can you just imagine the _Powwwer_…?"

Ro gasped and tried to free herself of his grasp, but Roarden held on tight.

"You will deliver me this infant…" Roarden hissed even louder. "Or his father will be the first to die…"

"You'd never get to him!" Ro shouted, laughing in shaky confidence. "You never _could_ find the Guild, you never _could_ defeat the Guardian soldiers!"

She threw a punch, but was easily deflected by a blast of Roarden's magic and she was cast to the ground. Roarden stood over her as if he pitied her greatly.

"You're a fool," he said slowly. "And you will _lose_… everything…"

-

"_DAMN_!" Reid screamed for the thousandth time, punching the wooden wall back at the Guild. "They set us _up_!"

As Reid paced his anger off, the two remaining Syrens, the Covenant, and Lysander all sat in the main lobby of the Guild. The fireplace provided most of their light, dancing off the walls and couches they sat. It would have been a comfortable setting, if not for the worried and unsettled undertones of the occupants.

"Yes, Reid, we know," Caleb sighed frustratedly. "Shut up while we think of what to do next."

Reid stopped pacing to talk.

"Well, I should think it was obvious, right?" He spoke like Caleb was an idiot. "We go get _Ro_!"

Fin rolled her eyes.

"Pipe down, Loverboy… I'm as worried as you are, but we can't jeopardize the rest of us to save one soldier. We're letting our personal feelings cloud up the big picture here. In the end, we have to prioritize."

"_PriORitize_?" Reid spat in disbelief. "Who knows what those maniacs are doing to her right now!"

"_I_ know," Kitty replied, sitting up straight. "It's so totally icksome… Dahlia used to tell her stories about when she was Roarden's captive, right--?"

"Kitty…" Fin warned, sensing what was coming.

"--Said Roarden liked his women," Kitty went on, not even hearing Fin. "Used to like dress her up in some scant outfit and put her in some cage, and then at night--"

"KITTY!" Fin yelled, smacking her to be quiet. Kitty cowered and tried to recover quickly, seeing how her words had disturbed Reid.

"Oh, but it was nothing too painful—uh, I mean, nothing bad at all. So like, you don't have to worry. Not in the least."

Kitty smiled at looked to Fin for approval, but only found a shaking head of disappointment. Tyler seemed horrified, while Reid didn't seem the slightest bit convinced.

"Imagine my relief," Reid drawled sarcastically. "Look, I don't care if you guys come or not. Just point ME in the right direction--"

"Reid, think about this for about a half a second," Caleb argued. "We're the only guys who can take Roarden down. We're the Golden Boys—without us, the war is done, lost, over. These girls are not about to let you walk off and get yourself killed. Just because Ro is a hot girl who happens to like you--"

"Don't," Pogue put a hand of caution on Caleb's shoulder. "He's hurting, dude, have a heart."

"I'm just saying. These girls know what they're doing. Ro will handle herself."

Tyler put an arm around Reid's shoulder and shook him a bit to cheer him up.

"Besides, with that poison curse on her skin, Roarden can't touch her!"

Kitty perked up.

"Actually, our magic has no effect on--"

Fin backhanded Kitty on the shoulder again, and Kitty immediately silenced.

"Will you shut up about people touching my girl?!" Reid pleaded. "Seriously, this is grueling enough as is."

"I'm just trying to help, bro," Tyler defended.

Kitty sighed and put her chin in her hands.

"I haven't been without Ro since I moved here. She and I are roommies; always have been. I don't know what to do with myself."

"We be strong, like we are with everything else," Fin said, standing up. She spoke as if she was mostly trying to convince herself. Caleb stood up too, staring at Fin in concern. Fin just furrowed her brow, stuck up her chin, and stalked off.

"Dahlia will be Reid's new Guardian," Fin said over her shoulder as she stomped up the stairs and out of sight. Lysander perked up at the news, but otherwise didn't speak.

"What's Fin's deal?" Tyler asked Kitty.

"She's hurting too," Kitty explained. "Her and Ro were friends even before I knew of this school. Fin's the person who recruited Ro out of the Hood clan and into Guild ranks. And on top of the fights Fin's been having with Etrigan-- This is just the way Fin deals with pain."

"By _not_ dealing with it?" Pogue asked.

"Um… _Yeah_," Kitty nodded.

Pogue wasn't reassured, and got up to follow Fin.

-

"Knock, knock," Pogue tapped the already open door as he entered Fin's room. Fin turned to see who it was, then went back to reading a book called 'Guide for the Great Goblin Slayer'. It was a thick, gray, bound book, old, something she more than likely picked up from the Guild library.

"There are goblins around here too?"

"Many kinds," Fin replied as if bored.

Pogue had never seen her room before, and took his time to look around.

Fin sat upon her large redwood bed with her legs crossed and straight. Her room seemed to have an earthy red and yellow theme, with all shades of orange in-between. The curtains were a dull orange, the sheets on the bed were a scarlet red, the comforter dark yellow, the area rug a mixture of all those colors, with the majestic picture of a red bird against a fiery yellow and orange backing.

"Pheonix, huh?"

"It's what I was named after," Fin turned a page in her book. "It's the flaming eyes thing."

"People talk a lot about magical classifications around here. Are there a lot of people in the telepathy category with flaming eyes?"

"No. Just me. I was cursed when I was a baby."

"You have a curse too?"

Fin didn't reply. Pogue just shrugged it off and waited for her to speak again, but she never obliged, so he drifted toward her large window to peer out.

"Wow, I wish my room had a view like this," Pogue commented as he gazed over the vast hills and plains, watching gray and white unicorns prancing in a grassy field beyond. "Is that really what the world outside the wall looks like?"

"No," Fin replied blandly, turning the page without interest. "It's full of villages ruled by Roarden's Spectres and inhabited by enslaved light magicals too scared to stand up for themselves. It's not pretty out there. Not like it is here."

"I'd still like to see it," Pogue countered. "The real Aromesia… a world I never knew existed…"

"Maybe someday, you will," Fin said. "After you save the world, of course."

Pogue smirked.

"Of course."

-

**New pics up in the Chosen Ones gallery. Go to my profile, click on the album link, the usual. Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	18. Being Chapter the Eighteenth

**Being Chapter the Eighteenth.**

-

Reid searched through the books of the Guild library quickly, late into the night after everyone had gone to bed. The library was dark and dusty, every one of the books centuries older than he was. He looked through them like he would in an earthen library, but there was no particular system to them, no alphabetizing, just sections of certain subjects in an ordered mess. Frustration was quickly upon him in the midst of chaos. But his frantic search had nothing to do with stories or research. He had one particular kind of book in mind.

"Oh, thank you God," Reid hissed under his breath, snatching the atlas off the shelf hungrily. He quickly found a page with a suitable map of Aromesia, tore it out of the book, and stuffed it into his bag of clothes and supplies.

It was time to climb that wall.

He snuck around the corners and past the magicals that never slept, and didn't let them ask any questions, or even meet his eye. He was on a mission, and had no time for hindrances or the chance of being found.

Through the lush, well-trimmed courtyard he went, to a dark corner. He threw his bag over the tall white wall, then looked around for one final check if he was still in the clear. Once satisfied he was alone in the dark, he let his eyes flash with fire, trying to make a smoky hole in the thick wall. It didn't work.

"Damn," he said to himself, figuring the wall was enchanted. "What is this, a school or a prison?"

"The wall keeps things out," said a distant voice. "Sometimes it keeps things _in_ too."

Reid whipped around in a flash, his eyes narrowing to seek out shapes in the blackness of night. The vampiress, Dahlia Yei, stepped forward from behind a tree, very calmly saying:

"Not trying to escape, are we?"

"I'll be back before anyone even notices I'm gone."

"A famous Chosen One like you? I express my highest doubts of such."

Reid crossed his arms and spread his legs apart.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Dahlia seemed to be hiding amusement. She didn't even bat an eye at his rudeness. She had a stoic level-headedness that made Reid assume _nothing_ could faze her.

"I am curious as to your plan," she said, taking another step. "Do you think you are going to simply march up to Roarden's castle alone and knock on his front door?"

"I am a Chosen One for a reason. I have more power than you think."

"Even still," Dahlia said. "You do not know what you will find along the way."

"I'm obviously willing to take the risk."

"You seem very decided on the matter," she said. "So I will not attempt to dissuade you further. I feel our only compromise consists of my coming with you. You must not be left unguarded."

Reid turned back to the wall.

"Whatever," he huffed, signifying the conversation had lost his interest.

"Dahlia!" another voice was heard behind them. Reid growled deeply in aggravation.

"What, did I leave behind a calling card? _Geez_!"

"Lysander," Dahlia replied serenely to the taller man. "Look who I found."

"What in the world do you think you are doing, Cursed One?" Lysander snorted as he stopped beside Dahlia. "Going on a little vacation into dark country?"

"Well, I _was_, until vampire vixen over here thought she'd stop me. What are you two doing here anyway?"

Lysander very audibly gulped, his face going paler than usual, and looked to Dahlia.

"I do not rightly know myself," Dahlia answered honestly. "Lysander expressed urgent desire to speak with me."

"Yeah, he has an urgent desire for somethin'," Reid scoffed with a smirk, making Lysander glare in hatred.

"Do not change the subject," Lysander insisted, the pointed tips of his ears turning pink as he thrust his index finger at Reid's nose. "You are staying _here_."

"I have tried to reason with him already, but he is quite insistent," Dahlia explained.

Lysander threw his hands up and gave up.

"Well, then let him go get himself killed," he said to Dahlia, waved Reid off. "We have three other healthy Chosen Ones right here. I would not _dare_ step a single toe in those forsaken--"

"I have decided to go with him as well," Dahlia butt in.

"--Well, of course, we'll all go," Lysander changed his tune very abruptly.

-

When Kitty woke up, she had never felt so lonely. The large four poster bed next to her was empty, the green blankets unmade, and she didn't have the heart to touch any of Ro's things. Kitty borrowed clothes from her without asking all the time, but with Ro gone, touching her stuff just seemed so… insensitive.

Kitty looked at herself in her large brass vanity mirror and cringed at her bed hair. Lovely Tyler was beyond that door, and she felt the need to look nice for him. She brushed her hair slowly, letting her thoughts drift to Tyler, letting herself think of better things than her lost roommate to better her mood.

Kitty jumped when she heard a loud knock at her door, dropping her hairbrush onto the ground.

"Who's there?"

"It's me."

Her heart leaped, since she knew exactly who that 'me' was. Quickly she grabbed her brush and attacked her hair, then ran to the door. The smile was wiped off her face to match the grim expression on Tyler's.

"What's the matter?"

"I can't find Reid."

-

"Well, have you looked in the firing range? The courtyard? The dining hall?" Caleb said to Tyler, Kitty, and Pogue, all walking quickly down the empty arched hallway to check his room again. Fin came running up, Etrigan at her side.

"I can't sense Reid anywhere," she informed them.

"And I found this," Etrigan said, holding up a heavy book with obvious missing pages. "He took maps."

"He went off alone?" Tyler said with worry.

"No," Fin said, her eyes cast off into oblivion. "Lysander and Dahlia are gone too. We'll have to inform Lysander's parents. Etrigan, do me a favor and ask Harry if Dahlia has any known relatives as well."

"Why are we contacting next of kin?" Caleb said with concern. "They're not going to _die_ out there, are they?"

"I have to speak with Sybilla," Fin stated, then immediately turned and walked off. Etrigan followed, climbing up the stairs at her heels.

"Fin, when you get a moment, we need to have ourselves a talk. One of the serious kind."

Fin talked over her shoulder.

"Ready to get back on duty, are you? Getting tired of the training room and craving some real action, huh?"

Etrigan followed her around the corner and down the hall, to the foyer base of the winding stairs to Sybilla's study.

"Whether I want action or not," Etrigan growled. "You need me, with two of our Guardians run off…"

Fin stopped and whirled around to face him.

"We can find replacements, James, you know we can. Ones that _believe_ in the cause."

"I believe in _you_, Fin. That's all I need to believe in."

"This entire school is about supporting Sybilla's vision. If you don't, then you might as well be out there with the rest of the slaves under Roarden's rule."

"I'm here because I'm doing something about Roarden, the _realistic_ way. With my brains and brawn. You can believe in your Prophecies and your dreams, but we all are fighting for the same cause."

Etrigan took a step closer to her, taking her hand in his. His thumb grazed over the small red ring around her left hand finger.

"And I'm still marrying you when this war is through. When Roarden is dead, and both our curses are gone, and our responsibilities…"

Fin snickered and heading for the stairs.

"Who's the dreamer now?" she laughed, then blew him a kiss and climbed up out of sight.

-

Fin opened the door gently to Sybilla's study. She saw the old woman by the window, as she usually was. Fin nearly fell over from the weight of her headmistress's sorrow.

"Mistress?" Fin said, stepping forward just enough to close the large wooden door behind herself. "What's wrong?"

"Ro is with child," Sybilla informed her through a shaky voice. Fin gasped.

"But how can that be? The curse…!"

"Fate found a way," Sybilla replied firmly, standing up straighter. "We are out of time. The Prophecy is upon us now. We haven't even _begun_ to prepare the Covenant for what's ahead…"

"The Prophecy will prevail," Fin said, going to her Mistress's side and holding her close. She ached to believe her own words. "We cannot lose faith in it now…"

"That's just it, dear Fenix… Ro was the first piece to the puzzle to the dark outcome. I fear the cost of all the Prophecy entails. Such a cost might be more than we can bear."

"If you lose heart, the rest of us lose heart," Fin said, tears welling in her eyes as she held Sybilla tightly. "Tell me there's still a chance…"

"I just… don't know anymore…"

"Why not?" Fin said desperately. "What is troubling you so much? What aren't you telling us?"

Sybilla pulled away, her whiteout eyes glazing with glassy shine.

"Bring the Covenant here," she said shakily. "I will tell you all together. It's time you knew the truth."

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	19. Being Chapter the Nineteenth

**Being Chapter the Nineteenth.**

-

Tyler knew Fin was still off talking to Sybilla, so in order to find Kitty easily, without having to scavenge the entire Guild castle, he headed to the Directory Room. That familiar little room that they pass by every time they head to and from the door to Earth. Through the large heavy door he went, pushing it aside with a bit of the Power. Tyler snickered, knowing that this heavy door was put here to keep students from spying on other students. The Directory was so good for that.

Tyler walked up to the humungous silvery-blue orb, putting his hands upon it and guiding them through the 3D map like a camera was walking through halls. He concentrated on letting the Directory guide _him_, focusing his mind on Kitty.

He found her in the courtyards, sitting down on the wall of the main fountain, underneath the statue of a centaur and an angel. There was a man sitting near her. That burly-looking Daniel guy who had saved Tyler from the murderous mermaids.

A twinge of jealousy arose in Tyler's chest. Didn't Kitty mention that she used to _date_ Daniel? What was she doing out there with him alone?

Tyler felt paralyzed, unable to command his muscles to do what his mind screamed. His eyes were glued to the vision before him. He watched in pain as Daniel leaned toward Kitty's lips… those same lips Tyler had kissed before himself… Then, a few moments later Kitty smiled and kissed Daniel on the cheek. Tyler couldn't stand it anymore. Enraged and not knowing how to deal with it, Tyler pulled himself away and stormed off to mope in his room.

-

"Daniel…" Kitty coaxed, slowly pushing Daniel away from her. "I didn't come here to pick up where we left off. I came here to make sure we were okay. That you were okay… with me and Tyler."

Daniel sighed and fiddled with his knee. Kitty's heart pounded in her chest, waiting for him to answer. Once upon a time, she had cared for this man deeply. She had fought beside him in the Old War, and spent days going everywhere together, nights listening to him read to her by the fire… It was a time that seemed forever ago now.

"You really like this Chosen Boy?" Daniel said in a low voice, looking back to Kitty seriously.

"Very much," Kitty nodded.

He sighed again.

"Then I shall do nothing to jeopardize your happiness, little Kiska."

Kitty smiled gratefully and pecked him on the cheek. Even if she wouldn't love him the same again, he would always hold a firm place in her heart… as her greatest friend.

"Thank you for understanding, Danny."

-

Lysander and Reid crested yet another hill, following the small stream as a guide, as Dahlia came slowly behind. Dahlia didn't seem to travel anywhere fast. On the other side of the stream was the border to a lush forest of white trees with dark green leaves, so close together one could not even begin to think about entering inside them, like a protective wall keeping them out. To his left, everywhere Reid looked all he could see were hills and plains with grass up to his knees.

At last, he reached a bridge over the stream, as marked on his map, marking the entrance to the only way into the forest, but Dahlia and Lysander both warned against using it quite strongly.

"We are in Savage country," Dahlia explained. "It is why the Guild is well-placed. No one ventures in the Savage country."

"We will," Reid insisted, checking the map again. "It's the shortest route between points A and B."

Lysander grew wide-eyed and pale.

"We cannot go in there!" he gulped. "You must be suicidal! You do not even know what you are talking about, you moronic fool. What is found in there… it is just too ghastly to talk about in civilized conversation."

"Not _scared_ or anything, are you, Lys?" Reid teased.

Lysander straightened, puffing out his chest.

"Scared? Puh. I am just afeared for the, uh, _female_ in our company, is all."

Dahlia smirked.

"Only sissy little girl I see around here is _you_," Reid muttered under his breath as he walked away from the others, venturing across the quaint little wooden bridge. He went right up to the border, and stared bravely into the woods in silence for many moments. Dahlia and Lysander waited patiently for his verdict.

"I ain't afraid of some damn _trees_…" Reid announced, then he stepped inside.

-

Fin, Kitty, Etrigan and the three remaining Covenant members sat before Sybilla nervously, behind small school desks and on large leather armchairs. Tyler was glaring at Kitty, much to her confusion and unease, but no one dare spoke until Sybilla spoke. The sound of the crackling fire was the only voice that echoed in the dark room. Sybilla was leaning on a cane for support, as if her health was starting to fail her. Fin assumed stress was the factor for that, but it was only the half of it.

"I will understand if what I have to say troubles you," Sybilla said. "To the point where you abandon our cause and never speak to any of us again. I would not blame you."

Even more anxiety was spread throughout the room at these words, the intensity level rising.

"Harry has analyzed your blood. I have read every book I could lay my hands on, called in all of my resources I am able."

She turned to face them, even though she could not see their faces, she could sense their feelings.

"I am sorry," Sybilla said. "But I regret to inform you that your curse… is beyond my ability to lift."

Caleb let out his breath in disappointment, while Tyler gasped in shock. Pogue was frozen in stunned dormancy.

"But…" Tyler began, but his voice trailed off.

"I know I promised you that I would remove it, but the magic to too old, too far gone, too vast for my abilities to lift. Only the caster can remove it now, if he so wills, or if he is dead."

"You lied to us!" Tyler said, rising to his feet. "You told us you could do this!"

"Tyler…" Caleb tried.

"I got my hopes up for this!" Tyler went on angrily. "You know how long our families have suffered through this curse? Why would you go and tell us something, let us get all excited then go back and say: 'oh yeah, not really'?"

"Tyler, try to understand--" Fin started.

"Oh, I understand," Tyler said, heading for the door. "I understand she didn't want to tell us the truth because she was afraid we'd leave her and this stupid cause behind, which is just what I'm going to do."

Tyler opened the door and stormed down the stairs furiously.

"Tyler!" Kitty pleaded, on her feet now too. She followed him quickly, waving for Caleb to give her a moment with him. "Tyler, please, I know it hurts, but you have to be reasonable… She thought she could do this for you…"

"She thought she would string us along so that we would do what she wanted us too."

"Tyler, stop it!" Kitty commanded, her eyes tearing up. "Stop this right now!"

"I can't trust someone who would lie to me about something so important. This entire world, it's just wrong… I don't belong here. There's something off about that woman, Kitty. Not just this, just… something I've always felt."

Kitty shook her head again.

"I've never felt like I belonged here either, Tyler. It's a whole different world from Earth, and I'm still getting used to all the weird things, and I miss my family so much sometimes it's unbearable… But I have to remind myself that I'm here for a purpose, and it keeps me going. We have to believe in Sybilla. She's never done something like this before… I'm sure there's a reason…"

Tyler stayed silent, hot anger fuming from him like steam. Kitty brushed his cheek with her hand through her tears streaming down her face.

"I know you're hurt. I know you're disappointed. I know you wanted this more than anything in the world, and I know you must… feel betrayed! But don't give up on us."

"You gave up on _me_ first," Tyler said angrily, pushing her hand away. His brow furrowed. "Sybilla's lost my trust… and so have you. I saw you through the Directory today… with Daniel. You want to talk about betrayal, that's a good place to start."

"What? Tyler!" Kitty begged. "Don't do this. You can't make this about me! You have to—you can't… you need to trust Sybilla!"

Tyler scrunched his nose and sighed deeply in aggravation at the mention of the name that now sounded painful to his ears.

"You know, I'm beginning to think that maybe Roarden has been the good guy here all along."

Kitty gasped and bit her lip, dropping Tyler's hand.

"Tyler, that kind of talk is treason."

"Well, who are you going to believe, Kitty? Me, or the liar upstairs? Cuz that's what this is coming down to."

Kitty backed away in such sadness and unbelief.

"Why do have to draw lines in the sand?"

Tyler shifted in his stance, and his exasperated gaze going elsewhere.

"Roarden warned me about this," Tyler huffed. "He warned me that this would happen. He said Sybilla's Power was limited. So far, he's the only one who's been proven honest around here…"

"Tyler…" Kitty said, appalled at the words coming from his mouth. "Don't do this."

"I've been doing a lot of thinking," Tyler leaned close to make sure she caught every word. "How do we know he's so bad? Because _Sybilla_ says so? I've _met_ the guy, Kitty. He genuinely wanted to _help_ me! All Sybilla's done is lied and kept me cooped up in this godforsaken place--"

"Tyler!" Kitty bawled. "Why? Why are you doing this? You need to get a hold of yourself! Don't… don't speak to me again until you do."

Tyler snorted angrily, then turned his back on her, and the entire ordeal.

"Fine."

With that, Tyler headed for the portal door to the earthen side, wanting his own space to think this one out. Kitty considered going after him for many moments. It was her duty, after all, and she would be in big trouble if she didn't. But then again, she knew he really needed the time alone. He'd survived out on his own for years anyway, hadn't he? An hour or so wouldn't hurt.

"Such talk is _unfitting_ to a Chosen One…" said a sultry, snappish older man from behind Kitty. "I would hate for the Council to get wind of this. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What _would_ they say?"

"I say mind your own business, like you've been asking to do since you went in the Council," Kitty snapped, then pivoted on her heel and stormed off. She left the room just as Fin came down the stairs with Etrigan, Caleb and Pogue right behind her. Etrigan and Fin both glared at the much taller man with disdain.

"Who invited him here?" Etrigan hissed to Fin.

"I had to call him," Fin defended. "His son ran away from the Guild. It's policy."

Caleb gazed over him suspiciously, wondering why they looked upon this man with such a spite. He had a pompous way about him that seemed all too familiar to Caleb. He carried himself tall, even though he was already taller than anyone in the room. He looked down upon them with an equal dislike that Etrigan and the Fin and seemed to have for him. The way his face was formed, his blonde hair, his glowing green eyes…

"You must be Lysander's father," Caleb guessed, holding out his hand for the man to shake. "Nice to meet you."

"It's Prince Xylon to _you_."

"Gazunheit," Pogue joked.

"_PRINCE_ Xylon here rules most of the Northern Forest, and somehow weaseled his way into a seat on the Council," Fin explained to the boys. "He's a neutral, which just means he complains a lot but is too lazy to do something about our suffering world and would rather keep to himself and his riches."

"Crossbreeder…" Xylon warned, snorting at Fin and Etrigan holding hands. "You'd best be careful. With that _temper_ of yours… Yours as well, Half-Breed."

Etrigan's skin began to turn a strange shade of reddish brown as he growled in anger.

"Don't, Etrigan," Fin warned quickly, putting a hand on his arm to calm him. He took a deep breath and his normal color returned.

"You pixies think you're so much better than us," Etrigan snorted. "Why don't you go crawl back into a knothole somewhere and stay there?"

"Oh, I intend to," Xylon assured them. "As soon as we find Lysander, I am going to yank him out of this establishment straight away. No, he will not be returning to this horrid little school; that is certain. How I was convinced to let Lysander come here in the _first_ place is beyond me. Sybilla can't even keep a watch over her own students. Imagine, letting them run off free into a dark and perilous world. You can be sure that the Council will get wind of this, if I have any say in the matter."

"You do that," Fin spat at him, shoving Etrigan and the others on their way and out of Xylon's sight. They headed down the hall toward the dormitories in utter quiet.

"Nice guy," Caleb commented to break the awkward silence. "I see where Lysander gets his charms from."

"Feys are stubborn and hard-hearted people," Fin replied. "All they want is to keep to themselves and their high-and-mighty ways and be left alone in their forests. Obviously, since there is a war going on, that isn't the case."

Fin stopped, and faced the boys with a serious expression.

"I'm really sorry for Sybilla's actions. This was handled harshly, but not by accident. There's a reason for everything Sybilla does. Please rest assured in that. If you need a day or two to… to get over this…"

Caleb looked at Pogue and they spoke with their eyes for a moment.

"I'm going to need a while to think," Caleb said, his brow furrowed in deep thought and distress. "I want to go back to Earth for a bit… where it's familiar. Sarah's probably worried about me anyway."

Fin nodded understandingly as Caleb turned and sulked off.

"Get Etrigan to go with you or you won't be able to get back through the portal!" she called after him, then turned to the last member of the Covenant still present. "Pogue?"

"No, I'm cool," Pogue said with a downcast nod. "I'm just going to take a walk."

Fin nodded understandingly.

"Would you like company?"

Pogue looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah, that'd be real nice."

-

Tyler mulled over his life, sprawled out on his familiar bed back in the real dorms of Spenser, on the surface world of Earth. Life made sense here. No delusions of grandeur, no saving the world. Just school. Normal school subjects. Normal students. Normal teachers. He never had to deal with blind, seeress headmistresses and undead, unfaithful girlfriends…

Tyler sighed and rolled over, feeling very upset, very alone. A small voice plagued his head with doubt and decisions that refused to be made.

Think on it hard… You make your decision, just Use and call my name… 

Tyler knew it was wrong… but then again what he thought was 'right' seemed really wrong at the moment too.

So, Tyler closed his eyes, and let them fall black with the Power… and he whispered into the darkness:

"_Roarden_…"

-

**New trailer for **_**The Chosen Ones**_** up now on YouTube! Might I say I am quite proud of how it turned out. The link is on my profile page. Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	20. Being Chapter the Twentieth

**Being Chapter the Twentieth.**

-

Tyler sighed and slumped his shoulders as nothing happened. It seemed Roarden was too busy to answer his call.

A loud CRACK made him jump in his seat and nearly fall off. Smoke streamed in from under his dorm door, that distinct smell. His knob turned, and a cloud of gray and black smoke entered the room, right before Roarden himself appeared through the haze. A smile was on his face.

"I am… so very glad you called," Roarden hissed.

"I just found out Sybilla can't take our curses away," Tyler explained.

Roarden shook his head at the outrageous injustice.

"And I know you told me that already," Tyler said, casting his eyes to the floor shamefully. "I should have listened to you all along."

"Sybilla's Guild is all about their rules and order. It's practically tyranny," Roarden huffed. "I'll bet she hasn't even taken you out into the real Aromesia yet."

"I wouldn't know any Aromesia besides the Guild," Tyler said. "She doesn't let us outside the walls."

Roarden seemed shocked.

"Well, that's just imprisonment!"

"Yes, thank you!" Tyler said, glad _some_one was seeing things his way. "That's exactly what I said!"

"Simms," Roarden said. "I believe it's about time… I show you what you've been missing. Would you like to see what it's like?"

"Could you take off my curse?"

"If you can convince me that you won't kill me once I do… _suuure_. I might even make you my right hand man, if you prove worthy."

Tyler considered this. He thought of Kitty. Even through his anger, he still cared for her, even after all she had done to him. Would he have to go against them someday?

Tyler stood up. Roarden was offering him something he couldn't deny. A power and a world without limits. If only the others saw things like Tyler did. Roarden was the liberating forces here. He was only fighting for freedom. And that was something Tyler wanted to fight for too. The others would see things his way soon. He knew it.

"Alright," Tyler said, shaking Roarden's hand. "I'm with you."

Roarden smiled even wider than before.

"Yes… good boy…"

-

The trees got bigger and more spread apart once Reid, Lysander and Dahlia made it past the border barrier. Every so often they would hear a rustling of tree leaves, the swish of the wind whistling against the dust. Reid kept alert through the trees, more afraid of the unknown than anything. If there were really monsters out here he wished they would just show themselves so he could kick their butts and be done with it. The feeling of knowing that everywhere they ran they would be met with a border wall wasn't helping matters either. If they met with danger, they would have to face it head on.

"I once had cousins who dwelled in this forest …" Lysander whispered. "They all were killed in the Old War. I can still feel their spirits here… like a graveyard."

Lysander latched onto Dahlia's arm fearfully.

"I shall become one of them! Persuade that Cursed One to turn back!"

"Are you going to whine the _entire_ trip?" Reid shot over his shoulder, then bravely walked on ahead. Dahlia smirked at Lysander sweetly and gently pushed his arm away.

"I can no sooner convince an ass to eat his own heart," Dahlia replied calmly.

"Good analogy," Lysander approved with spite.

"He has a soul driven by love," Dahlia spoke fondly, like she envied him. "It is greatly romantic. He would willingly venture to the afterlife and back for her."

"It does not mean we must _follow_ him," Lysander huffed.

"You are more alike than you think," Dahlia stated calmly. "He travels through perils for the one he cares for. You are doing the same."

Lysander ceased walking immediately, his eyes bugging in shock, as Dahlia strolled onward. Lysander glared at her back and marched quickly until he caught up with her.

"I do not _know_ what you think you are _implying_," Lysander angrily hissed into her ear as they walked. "But I _do_ know I would not do _any_ such thing for a person so lowly outside my own classification, much less for a vampiress harlot like _you_."

Dahlia grinned, unoffended.

"Then why did you ask to meet with me in private the other night? Surely not to discuss any feelings for me, of course?"

Lysander blinked and drew away. Slowly his face shifted into something of pure hatred, spite, a disdain for the whole disgrace that was her. He then snorted at her, put his head high and walked on ahead.

"Of course not," she chuckled to herself.

Ahead of them both, Reid stopped at a fork in the road. The road on the right was wide and had more light on the path. The road on the left had fog and strange sounds. Reid looked to the map.

"Well, the right path looks like the one on the right."

"Splendid!" Lysander shouted for joy.

"But of course, we're looking for the wrong way, which would be, of course, the left."

With that, Reid stuffed the map back into his bag and walked down the left path without a care in the world. Dahlia strolled on behind him.

"You are both mad!" Lysander, called after them. He pointed the other way. "So this path might take us a slight bit longer. At least we will be _alive_!"

"Keep shouting, Lysander," Reid called back. "Wake up every elf-eating beast in this forest. Go ahead."

Lysander quickly shut up and stuck close to his friends. Lysander couldn't escape his paranoia, sensing darkness so close. He let his glowing green eyes glow a bit brighter, peering off into the distance, making sure they were alone. He soon wished he hadn't.

"Whatever you do," he hissed in fear, gripping Reid's arm this time. "Stay on the _road_."

"Dude, get off me!" Reid said, shoving his arm away. "What the hell's your problem? You're all brave when we're at the Guild, but as soon as we step out you turn into a pussy!"

Lysander straightened in offense.

"I object to your tone, considering if and when we come across a Spectre, I am the only thing that can keep you alive," he said, then leaned close to Reid. "Now, what exactly _is_ a 'pussy'? It is a sort of feline, yes?"

Reid snickered audibly, shaking his head in unbelief.

"Why don't you ask Dahlia about it later," Reid replied with an encouraging pat on Lysander's shoulder.

A stick cracked loudly in the trees then, so loud all heads turned towards the sound. They were definitely _not_ sneaking through this forest unnoticed anymore.

-

Ro's steel bound wrists rattled in the musty castle torture room, having worn on her skin for so long she was now bruised and bloody. If that wasn't enough, a leak in the ceiling overhead dripped annoyingly onto her icy feet, letting her know of the rain that was surely outside, since there were no windows in the hall to allow her to witness it firsthand. Her stomach churned within her for lack of food, barely eating enough to survive. It had been snowing for days, and only now had switched to rain. The cold made her every breath visible before her eyes, her entire person shaking in her minimal amount of clothing to support any body heat. Didn't they know they couldn't treat a pregnant woman this way if they wanted the child to survive?

Still, it was pain she took without complaint. She would take any amount of persecution if it meant Reid could stay at the Guild in safety.

She hadn't spoken another word since they brought her here, neither through her mental tortures nor through her solitary confinement. She would not be broken. She would see this through to the end. Perhaps she might end up alive, perhaps in the arms of Reid again someday. Perhaps not. It was a risk she was willing to take.

It was worth it.

Ro sat in the center of the stone floor, hugging her knees. The chains around her wrists and ankles rattled with her every movement. Being a prisoner sure got old fast. Like, within the first hour. She wished she knew a way to tell time.

She smelled that smell she had gotten quite familiar with in her time here. That distinguishable sloshing of muddy black feet.

"I have a little… something for you," Roarden informed her.

"If it's not freedom, I'm not interested."

She heard him set something down on the table. It was something that clinked like glass.

"I thought you might want to see him…" Roarden hissed.

Ro finally turned her head to seee him, her face expressing surprise. Upon a tiny round table, sat a foggy glass cube about the size of a volleyball. Roarden had given her a Window Stone.

Window Stones were made with a special glass more rare than diamonds but more fragile than porcelain, and can be used for only one purpose. The largest one known to Aromesia sat within the Directory, and was used for the sole purpose of a window to see the Guild and Spenser. This particular Stone was forged specifically to see Reid.

"I thought you might want to see," Roarden said, patting the Stone like it was a well-behaved pet. "When he dies… He has left the Guild, to go after _you_ it seems… and is now being followed by a legion of Spectres. They await my word, and then they will… kill him."

"You sadistic MONSTER!"

Ro was on her feet and after him in a flash. She sent a flying fist after him, but with a simple raise of the hand, it was stopped inches before it connected with his face. Slowly he let the force drive her hand back, just as a knock was heard at the door on the far side of the hall.

"Wait," he said to Ro. "I'm not done… Enter!"

A door opened and in walked none other than Tyler himself, outfitted in a black suit with Roarden's symbol etched into the shoulder.

"Oh, my God," Ro breathed.

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	21. Being Chapter the Twenty First

**Being Chapter the Twenty-First.**

-

Etrigan followed silently as Caleb was careful not to be seen at Spenser. By now the police will have a missing person's file on him and the others, and he really didn't need the attention right now. Once down the halls of Spenser and near Sarah's dorm, Caleb turned and halted Etrigan.

"James," Caleb said pleadingly. "Can you just… wait here--?"

"--For how long?!" Etrigan demanded.

"Not long! I promise. Just sit tight."

Etrigan snorted in dismay, but said:

"Fine, go on. And _don't_ call me _James_. Only _FIN_ can call me James."

Caleb shrugged, then turned to face the door. He took a deep breath, and knocked hard, twice. Sarah opened it, and Caleb quickly entered.

"Caleb!" Sarah shouted in surprise. She embraced him tightly for a moment, sighing deeply in relief. Kate seemed to be out.

"Where have you been?" Sarah demanded with concern. "You and the others haven't been in classes, you mother says you haven't been at home… the police have started a search party… it's like you've all dropped off the face of the earth!"

"We kinda have," Caleb said seriously. Sarah now looked at him with a different kind of concern, knowing there was something very wrong. Her face asked many questions by only her expression. Caleb was looking back at her like it was the last time he would ever see her, and he was trying to find the words to tell her this. He wished he could tell her more, but knew better than to drag her into these dangerous times and events. It was best he left it alone, leaving her behind until his responsibilities in this war were done with.

"It's a Covenant thing… you know?" Caleb said solemnly. "We're dealing with some stuff. I'm going to have to go back in a few minutes, but I wanted to see you. Maybe… maybe for the last time."

"Why can't I go with you?"

"It's not a place you can follow. Do you understand?"

Sarah nodded considerately, even though she didn't understand, and probably never would. She cocked her head, curious but wondering if she really wanted to ask.

"Will you be ever able to tell me what's going on?"

"If I come back after this is all over, I promise I will."

Sarah nodded again, and just held him. He seemed like he needed it. After a few moments, he took his leave, of the room, and of her.

-

"Hello, Ro," Tyler said, folding his hands together before himself, and taking a stand beside Roarden. "I almost forgot you were here. Dominic tells me you're knocked up and it's Reid's fault. Congrats."

"Tyler…" Ro whispered, still trying to form her mind around the perception of Tyler standing before her in a Hood uniform, complete with sharp swords and armor, and proudly standing beside her worst enemy. "You are confused… misinformed…"

"No, I think I'm finally thinking clearly," Tyler retorted. "I made a choice, Ro. This is nothing personal, just politics. Try not to look so…"

"Betrayed?" Ro finished for him.

Tyler lifted his gloved hands to show her.

"_Roarden_ here… he lifted my curse. Like he promised. Imagine that: going _through_ with what you say you're going to do. What a concept."

"I've been trying to get Tyler here to let me in on the Guild's location," Roarden said. "But it _seemsss…_ the best he can do is tell me of a portal I already know about… but can't use because of the security _hindrances_ a certain blind seeress put on the _door_… Now. If _only_ I had a Guardian to open the portal… Oh wait. I _DO_."

Roarden stepped down the stairs to the floor level and walked up to Ro bound in chains.

"I'm not gonna tell ya anythin'…" Ro declared. "And _you_ can't make me… because I can't be tortured. Ya can't risk harmin' the kid inside me."

Roarden grabbed the chain between her cuffs and practically dragged her with him.

"Oh, I think you will…" he hissed, pulling her over to the Window Stone and forcing her face up to it. Ro couldn't bear to look. It would only be a matter of time before Reid was in Roarden's custody. Before he was tortured, perhaps even killed.

No. He wouldn't be killed. Because there was no way she was strong enough to hold out that long. Eventually, she would give in… because she loved him.

"Oh, I'm impatient," Roarden hissed. "Let's start the party up now. Tyler, see if Dominic has our charming little traitor waiting outside yet."

Ro's heart pounded as Tyler walked up to the large double door, and pulled it open. She gasped as Dominic, Scarlett, and Duke brought in none other than Rems himself. His hands were bound too, and Duke proceeded to quite literally drag Rems over to a stone table.

"Ro!" Rems said in surprise. Ro's chest nearly caved in, her heart hurt so much at the sight of her old lover. Dominic took off Rems shirt as to get to his bare skin easier. Tyler looks uneasy, shifting in his stance.

"I picked this one up after one of my spies saw you two… _conversing_ together on the Earthen side," Roarden explained. "He's suffered all kinds of torture, but refuses to say a word. Strong wills are so infuriating. Nevertheless, I thought I might find a… good use for him."

Duke began to strap Rems on the stone table. Tyler visibly gulped.

"Roarden, sir…" Tyler started shakily. "You're not really going to…?"

"Master," Scarlett stepped forward, her pale gray eyes glistening with cruel excitement. "I'd really like the honors of hurting my treacherous husband myself. I have a score to settle here."

"By all means," Roarden nodded in permission. Scarlett pulled her platinum hair out of her face and went to choose her torture device of choice.

"Sir," Tyler tried again. Roarden went to Tyler, and slipped an arm around his shoulder, herding him to the door.

"We are trying to play with the Syren's head, Simms, and your questions are breaking the façade. Of course we aren't _really_ going to… _do_ anything, but _she_ doesn't know that… So just run along. I'll call you back when we're all… done."

Tyler nodded understandingly and willingly left, heading for his new set chambers. Roarden shut the door behind him and sighed deeply in frustration, clearly upset for having to cater to the young boy. Roarden turned around to see all eyes on him, waiting for what he would say next.

"Proceed," he waved them onward, making Ro gasp as his raw brutality.

"With pleasure…" Scarlett whispered. She lowered a knife to Rems's chest. Rems sucked in his stomach in an effort to pull away from the blade.

"No!" Ro protested. "Scarlett, don't!"

"Shut up, harlot."

"But you love him!"

"I _used_ to love him," Scarlett corrected. "Before he started sleeping with every woman he could get his hands on, including my oldest friend… YOU."

"You've loved him ever since anyone can remember, Scarlett. Do you _really_ want to hurt him?"

Scarlett didn't move. Roarden didn't look pleased, but waited to see what she would do next.

"_Yes_…" Scarlett hissed, touching the knife to his skin.

Tears sprang to Ro's eyes as she listened to Rems's yells…

Elsewhere in the castle, Tyler laid awake on his large bed, his brow furrowed in concentration. He could swear he heard shouts… shouts of pain…

-

"Spectres!" Lysander shouted. Reid froze, on alert, but was confused as to what they were talking about. All he could see was harsh black and gray winds, like a fog. Sometimes he could see shapes, hear voices… the temperature would go from freezing cold to blazing hot in moments. Reid had never seen a Spectre for himself before, only learned about them in his classes with Sybilla. He couldn't see through the haze, and feared to blast through lest he hit one of the others. Lysander seemed to be able to see quite clearly through the rough winds and haze, and found Reid quickly.

"Lysander!" Dahlia's voice was heard. "I cannot fight dark with dark… you have to…"

Her voice faded and Lysander feared the worst.

"Dahlia!"

"They haaaave a feeeyy!" the wind hissed. "Geeet him firrrrst…"

But Lysander already had his hands to his temples, his eyes scrunched closed in deep concentration. Immediately he began to glow, a luminosity emanating from him in a sphere that only got bigger. Soon he was shining so bright Reid could barely look at him, casting an arm up to shield his eyes from the light. Lysander then knelt to the floor to hold his ground, erupting in a blast of white. The Spectres hissed and screeched in pain, dissipating into thin air.

When the air cleared, Lysander slowly stood. Even Reid had to admit, he was more than a bit impressed.

"Dahlia!" Lysander hissed in concern, rushing over to the woman on the ground. Reid followed quickly.

"Is she okay?" Reid asked worriedly.

Lysander seemed quite distressed, gently picking up the barely conscious woman.

"I do not know," he breathed. Suddenly, Dahlia grabbed his shirt and pulled him close.

"Blood," Dahlia gasped and choked. "I need… a drink."

"Yes, of course," Lysander replied, ripping his sleeve open and holding out his wrist.

"No," Dahlia said, pushing his hand away. "_Neck_."

Lysander grew wide-eyed, but slowly obeyed, lifting her head up to his shoulder. Her fangs grew out long, and she bit into him as gently as she could manage. Lysander held her close, not seeming too affected by the pain. He didn't even wince. Rather, he was enjoying her closeness as a tender moment. Reid just stood back and waited for it to be over, making his eyes go elsewhere as he was feeling a little grossed out.

Immediately, Dahlia's wounds in her chest and arms began to heal, the burns almost completely gone. The gray tinge in her skin began to have a little more color.

When she was quite done, she let him go, but still held him near. Their eyes were locked on one another.

"You going to live, Dahlia?" Reid asked loudly, interrupting their connection.

"I will be fine," Dahlia said sincerely, taking a deep, relieved breath.

"Even still," Lysander said, picking her up in his arms like a baby. He stared in her eyes with strict concern. "I think it best I carry you until we find the nearest village."

"If you insist," Dahlia smiled, holding around his neck for added support. The two of them wouldn't break their gaze for anything. It sickened Reid with disgust, and a little bit of envy.

God, he missed Ro.

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	22. Being Chapter the Twenty Second

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Second.**

-

Pogue kept his hands in his pockets, lest he reach out to hold Fin's. They walked steadily down a cobblestone path in the courtyards, in uncomfortable silence. They came to a wooden bridge over a small stream, some strange little fish of bright colors swimming happily against the current. Pogue stopped to watch them, leaning his elbows on the railing. Fin stopped too, leaning her back against the fence and facing the other way. She let him take his time staring at the fish, not speaking until he spoke.

"I have a secret I want to tell you," Pogue announced, making Fin perk up to listen.

"What is it?"

Pogue smiled warmly.

"You… promise you won't tell?"

"Of course," Fin said seriously. "You can trust me."

Pogue stared back down into the water again, and Fin grew a bit nervous as to what was on his mind. Still, she waited patiently.

"My name isn't really Pogue," he chuckled. "It's Nicholas. My dad was in the navy, and I was clumsy, so he nicknamed me Pogue when I was five. It's what all the sailors would call the newbies."

"Does the rest of the Covenant know?" Fin grinned.

"Sure, they're family. I made them call me Pogue even after my father died in the line of duty."

"Sorry to hear."

"Yeah," Pogue nodded in agreement, then stood a little straighter to meet Fin's eyes. "So where are _your_ parents?"

"My father died as a soldier too… in the Old War. The way my mother used to tell it, he was a loud activist for Cross-Breeding, so they sent him on a doomed mission and that was the end of it."

"Harsh," Pogue muttered. "What about your mom?"

"Died in the slave camp where I grew up."

"You grew up enslaved?"

"My temper isn't quick for nothing."

Pogue smirked.

"I was just inferring that it was a bit surprising to imagine you as a slave to anything," he explained. "Considering all your power. Couldn't you just bust out anytime you like?"

"Roarden has special shackles that can inhibit all natural magics. It's probably how he's managing to keep Ro locked up."

"I see."

Pogue leaned over the railing again.

"Fin…" Pogue said in a low voice, squinting down at the water in deep thought. "There's something else I've been meaning to say…"

Fin could sense what was coming next, and took immediate action.

"--How's Kate?" she cut him off quickly. Pogue frowned and stiffened.

"She's good," Pogue replied.

"Great," Fin shot back, then turned to leave him behind. Pogue reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her.

"I just need you to tell me you don't feel anything for me," Pogue coyly pleaded. "I need to hear it, then I can get over it… But I need you to tell me first, because I'm having a hard time looking at you and playing like I'm cool."

Fin looked upon Pogue with the utmost pity, her mouth open but no words able to form. She could empathize his feelings, could feel the overwhelming desperation and hope in his current emotions. She was careful not to confuse his feelings with her own. She kept her face firm, but sensitive.

"I'm sorry, Pogue," she said, taking his hold off of her arm gently. "But I don't feel anything for you."

Pogue nodded in understanding, watching Fin walk away, but her stinging words lingering. That was that. It was over before it even began. He admired her all the more for staying faithful to the one she really loved, even if it wasn't him. He was relieved to finally get rid of the sense of unknown, of the guessing games. At least now he could start getting over her. However long it would take.

Suddenly Kitty came running down the path, looking frantic and out of breath. Daniel was at her heels.

"I've been looking everywhere, Fin," Kitty panted in a flustered hurry. "I even checked the Directory… he's gone, he isn't anywhere, Fin… he's just vanished, he's _gone_!"

"Whoa, slow down," Pogue heard Fin coax her. "What is it? Did you see what happened?"

Kitty was openly weeping, Daniel holding her closely to keep her from fully flipping out. Pogue rushed over to join them.

"Kitty let Tyler go off alone, just after the argument with Sybilla," Daniel explained. "No one's seen him since."

Kitty wept even louder at that.

"It's all my fault!" she cried.

"No, Kitty, stop," Fin ordered, staying calm even though she had the nagging thought that maybe the second phase of the Prophecy had just been proven true. Had Tyler been kidnapped? Or had he betrayed them? She kept her thoughts to herself as to not upset Kitty more.

"My God," Pogue muttered. "We're dropping Guardians and Chosen Ones like hotcakes."

"People are starting to align to their sides," Fin said with an agreeing nod. "Just like last time. We have to expect the war any day now."

"Without Reid and Tyler…" Pogue hissed nervously. "I'm not liking our odds."

"We'll be fine," Fin assured them, grabbing Kitty's chin seriously. Kitty's eyes grew wide, for the first time fearing the look on Fin's face. "We'll get him back. We'll get them _all_ back. Fate finds a way. It always finds a way."

"We also just received a summons for the council," Daniel went on to say. "Xylon is telling them that we're losing control. Sybilla wants you and Caleb to go and represent us."

"But _Harry_ and I always represent the Guild," Fin protested. "Harry has the cool enough temper to tolerate their bellyaching."

"They want to hear from a Chosen One," Daniel replied. "They want to decide for themselves if they are worth risking their armies behind."

Fin frowned at this.

"When are they meeting?"

Daniel looked sympathetic.

"To_night_."

-

Soon the trees began to thin out, and Reid could see the moon quite clearly above them. The path started to grow broader and smoother, and soon it was paved with cobblestone. They came to a large bridge, with bustling traders and pedestrians, and huge centaurs dragging carts. Everyone looked so desperate, so sorrowful and on the edge of their rope. Reid saw a large man in a black suit come and take a fruit off a seller's stand and walk away eating it. The seller didn't say a word.

"Hey, how come he can just come and take food?" Reid nodded to the thief with jealousy, coveting the man's food as his own empty stomach growled.

"He is a soldier of Roarden," Lysander explained. "He can take whatever he wants. Roarden is the law."

Reid snorted.

"So these are Roarden's Nazi's and people are just supposed to deal with it? That's stupid."

"It is _Aromesia_," Lysander tried to make him understand. "You wouldn't know, because you have never seen it with your own eyes. Our entire world is suffocating with evil. You are going to see a lot of appalling things while you are here."

Reid could swear he smelled barbequed food coming from somewhere, but Lysander urged him on.

"We need to get Dahlia to a safe place to rest," Lysander explained, motioning with his head to the weary girl in his arms.

"You mean… like a bed?" Reid smirked at the Elf with a teasing eye. Lysander didn't seem to find the humor in his joke.

"The real town is through that gate, but we can't go in without a pass, and looking like we just came from the Guild. Dahlia's dark magic so she'll fit in fine, but they don't take kindly to Elves and… well, let's face it, _you_ look ridiculous."

"Okay, Legolas, what do you suggest?"

"It's pronounced Ly_sander_," he corrected, then look around at the merchants for inspiration. "Ah, there."

He handed Dahlia to Reid, and walked up to a shady, large, grayish individual behind a wooden counter. He sold weapons and armor, and a few sashes and cloaks. Reid hung back, a little fearful of the clerk's yellow eyes and grizzly stature. He was shirtless and overweight, his stomach sticking far out of his vest. His beard was braided and lifted to weave in with the white hair on his head, while beads were put in anyplace he could attach them too. His clothes were smelly and more than a bit dirty, and he drank something that had live things crawling out of it.

"Hello, kinsman," Lysander said with a tall, proud stance. "I find myself in need of a town pass and a pair of hooded cloaks for me and my associate."

The elderly clerk looked at Reid with distaste.

"What's his class?" he growled.

"I don't have one," Reid boasted. "I'm a Chos--"

"-- _He_, uh, he is a mixed blood," Lysander cut him off. "But we would rather that be kept between us."

"He wears foreign clothing," the clerk observed. "An Earthener."

"That's right," Reid replied confidently. "The name's Garwin-- ever heard of it?"

Lysander slapped his forehead in his hands, while the clerk pulled away in amazement, then shook it off quickly. He turned and grabbed two cloaks off a nearby shelf, and laid them down on the counter. Both were a dark pewter gray, almost black. He put a town pass on top of them, a small brooch-like object made of painted wood.

"Take these," he said. "Just a friendly gesture to pair of travelers. Go to the River Nymph Inn, and tell them Hulroy sent you. You'll get one night free of charge."

"Many thanks," Lysander nodded, taking his gifts and hurriedly slipping his hands into the sleeves of the cloak. When he was done, Reid handed Dahlia back to him and put his own cloak on, and was sure to put the hood up. They slowly and casually made their way through the marketplace, to the gates of the walled city of Bosin.

"Let's see your pass," the guard said, holding his hand out to Reid. Reid placed the small circle of wood into his hand, and the guard seemed to find it acceptable. Three other guards came forward, routinely frisking Reid down.

"Hey, hey!" Reid protested. "What the hell?!"

Lysander promptly shushed him.

"Watch those hands, coppah," Reid warned as the guard patted down his legs. A small knife was taken out of Lysander's boot, but otherwise, Dahlia and Reid were clean.

"This will be confiscated," the guard said to Lysander, handing the knife to his leader. "Clear. Let them in."

Rainclouds began to gather as they entered through the massive wooden gates to the town. Reid strolled along the foggy cobblestone streets taking his fill of the sights. It was a quaint little village, like one you'd find in a storybook. Everything was made of stone and wood. Signs dangled on poles to differentiate the places of business. Everywhere Reid looked were clean looking guards dressed in black suits with Roarden's mark on the chest. All the civilians seemed fearful of them, and rightly so. The guards seemed to be the only ones allowed to have weapons. The few people that walked about were cloaked and muddy, in a great hurry to wherever they were headed, as if trying to spend as little time in the guard's presence as possible. One guard was in a dark alley harassing a pretty young girl; two others were beating a man for his money. One man was tied to a street lamp bearing a sign on his neck that said: "_do not converse under penalty of law_". He didn't look as if he'd eaten for days. Reid felt a strange emotion inside him that he had not felt before. He recognized it though. It was pity.

"Quickly, over here," Lysander directed them to a certain inn. "Take Dahlia inside and I will go acquire necessary supplies."

Lysander handed Dahlia to Reid, but looked reluctant in doing so.

"Make sure no one takes a good look at her," Lysander said worriedly. "Like I have said before, Vampiresses are commonly stereotyped as whores, so they might get the wrong ideas."

Reid smirked, still amused that Lysander's love for Dahlia was so obvious, yet Lysander would never acknowledge it in million years. He promised Lysander that she would be safe with him, and Lysander left him behind.

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	23. Being Chapter the Twenty Third

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Third.**

-

Tyler stared at himself in the foggy full-length mirror in his quarters, black uniform and all. The left shoulder boasted Roarden's symbol. A symbol that the Covenant had unknowingly always shared with him: a Pentagram. But Roarden's Pentagram was labeled with a broad gothic letter 'R', just case you didn't know who you were dealing with. Steel plates covered his right shoulder, over a black leather coat that reminded him of a forties style pilot. Buckles ran up the front, and he was sure to fasten them all, as he was directed. The turtleneck collar stretched high up to his ears. It was a little uncomfortably tight, but it sure looked good on him. He wore thin leather gloves, and steel-toed boots. No laces or zippers around here… Tyler had to buckle those too. Belts slung low on his hips, with small pockets containing various gifted devices. Long knives were strapped to the outside of his thighs, while a staff was attached the back of his jacket. He looked like a real soldier of war. He felt pretty darn badass. He looked nothing like himself.

In fact, he looked _really_ different. His hair looked a little darker, blacker even. Tyler stepped closer to the mirror, squinting to get a better look. His skin… it seemed a little paler… and his eyes even looked a little lighter. What was going on with him?

Tyler took a step back in shock. Roarden had done something to him when he had lifted his curse. Changed him, and now it was even showing on the outside. He was starting to look a little like…

"I have a task for you," Roarden said from the doorway, his head twisting and twitching like he was a snake bursting out of his own skin.

Tyler turned to face Roarden. He had agreed to do his bidding, in exchange for the tremendous gift of his Power's freedom. He was prepared to do anything he asked.

"I want you to seek out Reid and bring him to me."

Well, _almost_ anything.

"You want me to go against my best friend?" Tyler frowned. "I mean, I knew I'd have to face them someday, but…"

"If you already knew, then there is no problem…" Roarden countered back, his voice trailing off in order for Tyler to fill in the missing pieces.

Tyler looked at himself in the mirror again, then stood up straight with pride.

"Well," Tyler smirked. "I suppose capture is a reasonable enough request in the midst of a war."

Roarden smiled and swelled with approval.

"You will not disappoint me," Roarden smiled, though Tyler feared the tone of which he said it. It could be taken as a compliment, but then again, it could be taken as a threat…

-

Reid entered the establishment directed, and took a look around. It was a tavern on the first floor, with all the room upstairs, Reid guessed. A warm fire was lit, with short tables and chairs everywhere surrounding it. It seemed to be a popular place to relax and have a drink. A man played a sitar in the corner, singing songs for the guests. A barmaid was working hard on her hands and knees, scrubbing at the wooden floor. A fat, bald barkeep with a scruffy beard stood behind a counter cleaning some mugs with his white apron, and Reid assumed he was the man to talk to.

Reid got a bed easily enough, and free of charge like that guy Hulroy said. He just didn't realize that all the beds were in one room. There wasn't even a bathroom anywhere in sight. Just a line of well-kept beds and nightstands, like a hospital room. Reid went to the furthest, most private one he could find, placed Dahlia on it, then took a bed of his own. It would be nice to get a peaceful night's sleep. If 'peace' was even possible in this town.

"Did you hear what everyone's saying?" Reid heard a voice from downstairs. He leaned over the railing to peer down. Some guy with hairy arms and brownish skin was talking to the barkeep.

"They're saying a Chosen One is in town," the man went on, leaning close to make sure only the bartender heard. "If any of the guards get wind of that it'll be hell to pay to those who associate with him, that's for sure. Do you really suspect they might actually exist?"

"Whether they exist or not, any man that can get ol' Roardy spooked is worth keeping around," the bartender replied.

"What about those two strangers you checked in earlier?" the man went on. "Do you think…?"

"Naw," the bartender went on. "That guy was with a vampiress. He's probably just here to get a little action."

Just then, Reid heard a commotion outside, shouting and bustling around, and he rushed to the balcony to have a look. Three guards were in the street, two holding back a young man, or what had the shape of a man, but the appearance of a fish, with silvery skin, fins for ears, and webbed hands. The man was trying to fight his way free, but with no success. Another guard had the appearance of a wolf-man, and was holding a lovely young woman, with long blue hair and white skin. Reid assumed she was some sort of water nymph. She was clothed in only a nightgown.

"No!" the man shouted desperately. "Don't you touch my wife!"

One of the guards pressed the man's face to a nearby pole, on a large paper nailed into it.

"What does it say?" one of the guards holding him asked. "This says we are entitled to whatever we want, doesn't it? And it also says that whoever gets in our way gets himself strung up."

"NO!" the woman shouted through tears. "I beg of you, _please_!"

"Take 'im, boys!" the guard holding the woman commanded, and the other two dragged the man over to the noose in the center of the street.

That was enough for Reid. He hurried down the stairs intending to head out the front door. He found the occupants of the bar all at the windows, staring.

"That's Karpin's boy, ain't it?" one whispered to another. "They just got married three days ago. He _knows_ the guards are supposed to have the first night of the new brides. Why's he puttin' up such a fuss?"

"Why aren't _you_?" Reid asked the short man by the window. "Why are you all standing for this? There are more of you than him."

"No, there ain't," another argued. "Those guards got backup up the wazoo and all they need to do is call. There isn't a thing we can do but deal with it."

"Oh, yeah, there is," Reid said, grabbing his coat off the hook and stepping out the door bravely, his anger level at maximum and showing on his face. He was ready to teach some nasty boys a lesson.

But at a moment too late. The guards were already slipping inside a nearby building with the girl, and the boy was limp on the noose.

Reid let out a breath, letting his shoulders fall in disappointment. He could hear the distant screams of the girl as he walked along the deserted street toward the hanging body of the boy. His mind couldn't comprehend such injustice. Lysander had warned him of the wickedness of the outside world, but he had never in a million years imagined such evil as this. What kind of a sick place was this? Reid felt overwhelmed by it all, walking as if in a trance. Slowly, he stepped up the wooden stairs to the hangman's stage, reaching a hand out to the boy's foot. His heart swelled with compassion, wishing there was something he could still do to ease the pain inside his own chest. But it was over.

Reid fell to his knees, his eyes searching the ground for answers. This was the world that needed his help. This was the world _he_ was the savior of.

Reid got up, and looked at the man who was tied to a post, bearing the sign "_Do not converse under penalty of law_."

"It's time for some changes," Reid told him. The man jerked up in surprise that someone had spoken to him. Reid let his eyes flare, the ropes that bound the prisoner burning into dust. The prisoner didn't speak, just rubbed his free wrists, staring at Reid in shock. Reid put his hood up over his head, and headed over the building where they had taken the girl.

Ro was going to have to wait one more night. He had some things to take care of first.

-

"Me?!" Caleb spat out, rising from his chair. "You want _me_ to speak to this 'Council'? I don't even know anything about this world, and you want me to _represent_ it?!"

Fin stood up from her armchair too, staring at Caleb with a frown at his reluctance.

"Just give them hope, Caleb," Fin coaxed impatiently. The Council meeting was only three hours away, and they hadn't even left yet. "They just want something tangible to believe in to erase the doubt Xylon has aroused."

"And if you fail we lose our army support and we're all screwed," Etrigan added. "So don't mess up."

"Yeah, piece of cake," Caleb muttered sarcastically.

"And you expected something less than the entire world depending on you?" Fin smiled. Caleb only smirked in reply.

"How do we get there?" Caleb asked obligingly.

"With a little help from a friend," Fin replied, motioning to a waiting boy in the corner. Caleb recognized the demon-boy that usually lurked around the game room, always staring at Caleb whenever he was in the same room as him. He seemed a kind, playful fellow, to counter his scary appearance of red skin, fanged face, and forked tail. At Fin's cue, he stepped forward to properly introduce himself.

"Cody," he breathed excitedly, shaking Caleb's hand. "It is an honor to be of service to your divine cause, sir."

"Cody can teleport anywhere." Fin explained. "He'll get us to the Council Hall in a flash."

"Do your thing, then, Cody," Caleb said with a brave nod. He was as ready as he was going to get.

-

Tyler marched through the gates of the town of Bosin, a legion of guards and Spectres behind him. He was ready to do some heavy battle in order to capture Reid.

Yet as he fully entered the town, he saw that damage had already been inflicted here. Some buildings were smoking from recent fires, some bodies of guards and even a townsperson were hanging from a noose in the center of the street, while other bodies of guards were scattered on the road amongst broken wood and glass. While the Spectres fed on the smoke of the recent fires, the guards seemed horrified at their slain comrades.

Tyler spotted a man peeking out a door at them.

"You!" Tyler shouted, yanking the man outside with a bit of the Power and holding him off his feet to ensure he would stay put. "What happened here?"

"A Chosen One!" the civilian laughed happily. "He took on the _whole lot_ of them, all by his lonesome!"

Tyler dropped the man to the floor, glaring off at the battleground, disgusted that this native was overjoyed by the bloodshed of officers of the law.

"Reid," Tyler said decidedly. He turned to the guards standing with him. "We're hot on his trail. Let's keep moving."

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	24. Being Chapter the Twenty Forth

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Fourth.**

- 

Fin rubbed Caleb's shoulder encouragingly, as they waited by the door to the Council Chambers. They had spent the last couple hours rehearsing what he was to say, what he wasn't to say, and still Caleb felt like he wasn't ready. Like he had no idea how to even begin. His nerves got the better of him. 

The door opened, and Caleb was allowed to enter the large room alone. Fin could not follow in where she was not invited. 

The Council Room was set up in a large circular fashion, with a large fenced-in pedestal in the center where Caleb was to stand. Four towers were set up a the end of the large walkway, where four ancient looking men in robes sat crosses legged on pillows behind a thin veil curtain: one Fey, one Animal-Transient, one Undead, one Titan, as was always the way of it, to represent all classes. Sybilla made up the Psychic Division, but she wasn't currently present, and hadn't been on the Council seat for some time. Fin had explained to Caleb beforehand that these men were the Elders, who were the deciding factors of the Council. They were extremely wise, having commanded for many centuries, and their decisions were always honored and revered. Never had their verdicts brought anything but peace. It was a great respect to be in their presence.

Bodyguards sat on small thrones below them, and pew-like benches surrounded everywhere else, where the council advisors and spies all sat. Caleb walked down the center aisle to the pedestal, and waited for them to speak first.

"Caleb William Danvers," the Titan Elder in the middle said. His voice was hoarse but firm. "You are said and assumed to be one of the Chosen Four of whom the Great Prophecy speaks. We have summoned you here to decide of your authenticity. Do you contest to our doubts?"

"No, sir," Caleb replied timidly, clutching his hands together in a tight ball before him.

"Rumors have been on the horizon of Roarden's return. Do you believe he is alive and plotting against us?"

"Yes, sir. I have been attacked by his Spectres already."

"We have been informed that two of your Chosen Four are unaccounted for at the Guild. Is this correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Give us your best estimate of their whereabouts."

"I know for a fact that one of them is out in Aromesia right now, with two Guardians with him, walking from the Guild to Roarden's castle."

"Why would he brave such?" another Elder asked. The Fey one.

"He wished to mount a rescue, sir," Caleb confessed. "He is quite… attached to this particular Guardian captured."

"And the other missing member?"

"He is…"

"I heard he sided with Roarden," Xylon's familiar voice rang out from the front row of the council seats. Caleb frowned at the snotty Fey father of Lysander with distaste.

"The Council has not decided if Roarden's return is legible," the Therian Elder shot out. He had a lot of scruffy hair like a monkey. "Anything spoken of such will be credited as hearsay."

The Titan Elder leaned forward in his seat, peering down at Caleb suspiciously.

"And how would you convince us that you are the ones the Prophecy speaks of?"

"Well," Caleb twiddled his thumbs a bit. He decided it was time to say goodbye to Fin's advice, and speak the truth. "Honestly, sir, about a month ago, I didn't even know this Prophecy existed, much less that it was about me and my Covenant brothers. But I began to research, and the more I did, the more I began to believe. When I read these books, I feel like I've read them before. Like the information was born in me. I can feel my Powers thriving when I'm in this world. I sense things without even trying. Like right now, I can tell you that there are fourteen Fey in this room, and eight Psychics, and nineteen Humans, and thirty-four Animal Transients, and twenty-two Undead. I can also feel that Roarden is giddily happy about something, which is more than likely due to the fact that he will soon have the Guild's location, and will wage war on the only thing left standing in his way."

Caleb felt suddenly relieved of his preset nerves, and leaned forward to talk seriously.

"Sybilla has trained great warriors in that Guild, and I'm not completely devoid of fighting experience myself. But we can't be everywhere at once. You have to organize your armies."

"Our faces are still on Aromesia currency," the Fey Elder hissed. "All must answer to us, even Roarden."

"But _does_ he?" Caleb countered. "Looks like _we're_ the only ones left playing by the rules, here, guys."

Caleb stepped off the pedestal and faced the crowd.

"Look, I don't know what you want of me here. I have no proof to give you of my credibility. But I know what I can do. And I know what my Covenant brothers can do. And Roarden is out there, and he's scared of us for a reason. All you need is a little faith right now, to trust Sybilla. And I promise you all will _get_ your _proof_."

-

The air was starting to get colder, and even a few snowflakes began to fall down, signifying that Reid and the others were getting close. The next region over would be the Ice Plains, which was a straight shot to the Black Lands, where Roarden's castle was. It was maybe four to five days more of travel. 

They had made it safely to the next town over, called Ice Coast, which was a much richer town than that of Bosin. Cheerier too, but a great deal colder, hence it's namesake. Already they had gotten a proper room, and had just sat down to eat in the inn's diner. Dahlia had opted to retire to bed, but Reid and Lysander were too hungry to think about anything but food. They quickly ordered and took their meals to the nearest table. 

"You know, you did not have to make so much of a scene back there," Lysander said to Reid. "Now every guard around will be on alert for us, and maybe even a few Hoods." 

"I just saved the asses of an entire town," Reid laughed. "And you tell me I should've kept a low profile?"

"Presently, all _we_ should worry about is getting to the castle in one piece," Lysander replied. "Heroism must wait until the time is right."

Reid shrugged.

"Fair enough," he obliged. "This town, we'll be like ghosts."

Just then, two guards entered the inn, and Lysander immediately fixed his hood a little lower down his face, and signaled for Reid to do the same. The guards went straight to the barkeep, leaning close to interview him without being overheard. 

"What are they saying?" Reid asked Lysander, who seemed to be listening to their conversation intently. His elven ears were better than his own.

"They are asking about us," Lysander replied tensely. "That means it is time to leave."

"But we just got our food!" Reid protested, his stomach growling in dismay.

"_Now_," Lysander insisted.

Reid stuffed a roll into his mouth, and another in his pocket for later, not knowing when they might get to eat again. Lysander got up quickly, and headed with Reid for the door to outside.

"Hey, you!"

Reid and Lysander went pale and froze as a guard called to them. They turned around slowly to face them. Reid prepared to fight at a moment's notice, while Lysander gulped loudly, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Y-yes?" he asked innocently.

"You forgot to pay for your food," the guard snarled threateningly. 

"Oh, right," Lysander muttered uneasily, his hands shaking as he pulled out a small pouch of coins and left some money on the table. Appeased, the guard went back to interrogating the barkeep. Lysander quickly yanked Reid close.

"It's only a matter of time before they suspect us," Lysander hissed. "Keep traveling and I shall retrieve Dahlia and catch up with you."

Reid nodded and promptly slipped out the front door, just as Lysander headed for the stairs to the upper rooms. Reid clutched his cloak close as he saw a large band of guards on the main road, being led by a young Hood Reid only assumed was Dominic. Reid went around a corner into a small alley to watch them, worried for his friends still inside the inn. There was no way they could slip past a Hood unrecognized…

-

Tyler entered the small inn confidently, keeping his eyes peeled, surveying at all the occupants for a familiar face. The inn looked exactly like the one from Bosin, save it was a little larger, nicer, and cleaner. The barkeep was an old, thin, jittery gentleman with white hair and a long gray beard. It was a popular place, filled to the brim with now quiet costumers. Except… there was one table with food still on it. Tyler went over to the table, putting his hand onto the plate of meat. 

Food still _hot_.

"The ones at this table," Tyler asked the barkeep. "Where did they go in such a hurry?"

"Don't know, young sir," the barkeep replied promptly, faking some good confusion.

Tyler sighed, looked around the diner even harder now, double-checking that his renegades were not still in this room.

"I don't appreciate lies," he warned the older man. "I'll give you one more chance."

The barkeep was silent, more than likely weighing his options.

"One went out the front door, sir," the man confessed at last. 

"And the other?" Tyler insisted, leaning closer to hang on his every word.

-

Reid thought about lifting himself with his Power up to the windows to warn Lysander and Dahlia, but it was too late. He heard a commotion up on the second floor, and knew they had already been found. Reid debated going to rescue them, then thought of when Ro had been captured. Would he be any match for a Hood? He'd best stay the course… he was Ro's last hope now.

Reid snuck around the back of a building, away from the main road. He traveled in the shadows as stealthily as he could manage, until he heard a voice that made him stop in his tracks. A voice he knew all too well, but never would have expected in a million years.

"Oh, _REEEID_…!"

Reid furrowed his brow in shock, not believing his ears. He turned and walked out into the open to meet his Covenant brother. The odds against all those guards was starting to look better, if Tyler had come to help him.

"Tyler!" Reid said in relief, staring at Tyler from a distance and walking back down the road over to him. "I'm so glad to see--"

Reid noticed Tyler's clothes and halted.

"--You in a _Hood_ outfit," Reid finished in surprise.

Reid quickly gathered that Tyler was not here to help Reid ward off assailants.  
Tyler _was_ the assailant. 

A group of guards were holding Dahlia and Lysander, who were already bound in shackles and looking grim. 

"Oh, a Vampiress…" a guard hissed into Dahlia's ear. He grabbed a lock of her violet hair and brought it to his nose. "You'll fit right in with _us_…"

"Don't you _touch_ her!" Lysander shouted at him, trying desperately to break free of the hold on him, but he was easily kept at bay.The guards seemed to find Lysander's dismay hilarious, but Lysander looked ready to murder them all where they stood, if he had even one finger free. 

There were too many of them for Reid to even think of saving his comrades, or even escaping now himself. His only hope was to talk some sense into his best friend.

"Tyler, _what_ are you doing?" Reid asked frustratedly. "When did you cross over to the Dark Side?"

"When I found out Sybilla had been stringing us along this entire time. She can't lift our curse, Reid. But I found someone who could."

"Whoa, hold up, Darth Vader. You mean to tell us Sybilla _lied_? …I don't believe that."

"_Believe_ it," Tyler replied sharply.

"So, what?" Reid scoffed. "You get your feelings hurt so you sell your soul to the devil?"

"He's giving me everything I could ever want and _more_…" Tyler shot back.

"Oh, wake UP!" Reid shouted, his anger apparent now at his friend's attitude of betrayal. "You know, I've actually been _out_ in this world, and I've seen the way Roarden's rule works. Why do you think I torched those guards back at Bosin? He's got this entire world living in constant panic, under an iron fist. I just saw a guy get _hung_ back there, for trying to keep his wife from getting _raped_ by these guys! That's the kind of world Roarden's conducting here. Is that everything you _want_, Tyler?"

"That's bullshit," Tyler snapped back. "You probably assumed a lot and got involved in something you didn't even know everything about."

"That's exactly what I think _you're_ doing, Baby Boy."

"I'm not the 'Baby Boy' anymore, Reid," Tyler replied. "And if you're not with Roarden, you're against me."

Tyler turned to the guards.

"Cuff him."

Reid held out his hands willingly. He couldn't stand against a man with his own Power, and risk Lysander and Dahlia getting hurt. They were at a stalemate. They way Reid figured, at least if he was captured he'd at least still get to be with Ro.

"You're a moron, Tyler. And you're even more of a whiny Baby Boy than you were before."

Tyler glared at Reid with distaste, then snorted and turned to the guards shackling him.

"Gag him too."

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	25. Being Chapter the Twenty Fifth

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Fifth.**

-

Tyler and his band of guards led the prisoners down the familiar halls of Roarden's castle. He felt Reid's harsh glare on his back, as the faint throb of guilt bore into him. Going against his best friend? It seemed a bit extreme, but Tyler had convinced himself that his way was just. He had made his choice of who to side with, and he wasn't about to turn back now just because his friend chose a different stand.

Tyler pushed open the large black wood doors, entering the torture room, where Ro was promptly stirred from sleep at the sound of the door closing behind them.

"Reid!"

His face was the first thing she saw through the crowd, but her tone was more worried than relieved to see him alive.

"Ro, thank God," Reid said, rushing to embrace her. Tyler signaled for the guards to let him. Reid held her tightly for a moment, then pulled her at arm's length to look in her eyes seriously. "You're good? You're alright?"

"I'm fine," she replied, then noticed Lysander and Dahlia as well, and her anxiety only grew. "You brought them with you on your stupid little rescue mission? Honestly, Reid…"

"What'd you expect me to do? Sit around on my hands?"

"That probably would have been wisest… for you and your Guild," Roarden said as he stepped down the stairs on the far end of the room. "But by having you prisoner, I have now won my war."

"Oh, yeah?" Reid challenged. "And how's that?"

"Watch closely," Roarden said, then he walked over to Reid slowly, holding out a single hand to him. Ever so smoothly grabbed the chain between his two handcuffs, and yanked. The force was so strong Reid fell to the ground.

"Hey, what're you doing?!" Reid said with fear. "Get off me-- what're you doing?!"

Roarden dragged Reid like a rag doll, whistling like a jolly worker all the while. Reid's legs skidded across the floor as Roarden dragged him with a pure force. Everyone watched in terrified silence. When they reached the table, Roarden leaned down and grabbed Reid by the neck, and practically threw him onto the granite torture table, face down. He pressed Reid's face against the smooth stone, lifting his cloak off, then slicing a fingernail through his shirt, ripping it clear off to get at his bare back.

Ro gasped, watching it all in horror.

"No, you can't!" she protested, knowing quite well what was coming next.

Roarden smiled, showing his teeth, and twitched his head giddily.

"Oh… I think I can…"

Tyler's eyes grew wide, having seen this procedure once before. He kept his mouth shut until he witnessed further. He didn't want to speak out and look foolish like last time. Maybe they were just trying to scare Ro, like they had done using Rems…

Roarden snapped his face down by Reid's ear.

"I do miss… doing this personally…" he hissed at him as he put his hand on Reid's back, letting his nails trail on his skin tauntingly. "I have waited an eternity… to hear what the scream of a Chosen One sounds like…"

Lysander was frowning with deep wrinkles in his fair skin. Dahlia's face was stoic, but her violet eyes were filled with pity. Ro's cheeks were already stained with tears.

But Reid's eyes were fixed on his best friend. Though Tyler seemed disturbed by what he was seeing, he still remained silent, even as Roarden lifted his hand to make the first blow. Roarden stabbed his long nails in-between Reid's shoulder blades, then slowly and firmly carved downward.

"AaaaaHHHH!!" Reid's screams echoed through the large torture hall louder than anything they had heard before. Four deep lines bled from his back now, as Reid caught his breath and heaved through the pain. When he pried open his eyes again, the same look was on his face. That betrayed glare was cutting a hole deep into Tyler's chest, but still he kept his mouth closed. Ro was bawling openly, begging for Roarden to stop, but Roarden just replied that her agreement was the only way to end Reid's suffering. Ro was torn between saving the Guild, and the man she loved, who happened to be a Chosen One.

Roarden lifted his hand to go again.

"Sir!" Tyler said quickly, stepping forward. Roarden halted and looked at Tyler impatiently.

"Sir," Tyler went on timidly. "Why don't we just make Lysander or Dahlia get us into the Guild? They're Guardians too…"

"Great idea, Tyler!" Roarden approved. "You can go right ahead… It'll be like… a _race_…"

Tyler furrowed his brow and didn't move. Reid's death glare was still on him, making him shift under it.

"Ready for another go?" Roarden asked Reid.

Ro didn't know what to do. Her eyes were so full of tears she could barely see. She had taken a vow to protect this Chosen One's life, but at the cost of the entire Guild?

She turned her gaze away just as Roarden stabbed his already bloody fingernails once more into Reid's back, and carved deeper into his tissue. Reid could feel the grinding shudder of Roarden's nails screeching against his spinal column.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Reid's piercing scream echoed through the halls, his eyes involuntarily dripping tears from his exertions. His hands were clutching the stone with white knuckles. It was more pain than he imagined possible.

"Please, no more…" Ro begged, then turned to another. "Tyler… _please_… he's your best friend…"

"No, he's not," Reid panted. "I'm not friends with traitors."

Roarden lifted his hand for another strike. Tyler's mind raced with thought, feeling for his friend, but not wanting to go against his new superior.

"Roarden," Tyler began, but his words fell on deaf ears as Roarden hammered his smiting hand back onto Reid's back. Tyler winced in empathy to his pain. Reid's yells were starting to go weaker. He stared at Reid bleeding profusely on the stone table. His eyes welled with guilt and pity for his friend. Tyler felt directly responsible.

"No more," Tyler said, softly at first, but only growing louder. "Stop! Sir, you'll _kill_ him!"

Roarden seemed genuinely surprised that Tyler would dare intervene again.

"One less Chosen One to worry for…" Roarden replied, then lifted his hand to stab Reid again.

"NO!" Tyler yelled, in his raging vigor forming a small blast that shoved Roarden to the floor.

Everyone froze. Tyler was wide-eyed at his actions, and fearful of his consequences. He stared at what he had done, as Roarden slowly arose from the floor with a calm look on his face.

"You betray the Guild…" Roarden said with confusion. "And you betray me… You are running out of _sides_, Simms."

"I can't take this, I'm sorry," Tyler shook his head. "You can put my curse back on, I don't care. Just don't expect me to sit here and watch you torture my friend any more."

"Simms," Roarden laughed. "Your curse was never taken _off_ to begin with. I only put another _on_ you, don't you see? By the end of this week, it will to overtake your free will. You're already mine."

Tyler fumed, his fists clenching in anger.

"You lying _bastard_!"

"Yes, well…" Roarden shrugged and snickered. "I've heard worse. Guards, since dear Mr. Simms is no longer a willing member of our little club, go make him stand in the corner to think about what he has done. How he has betrayed everyone, and that there is no one left that cares about what happens to him, and how his mind will soon be a slave to me. Then take the Vampiress to my chambers and behead the Elf in the morning."

Tyler seemed quite ready to leave the tense room, looking greatly disturbed.

Dahlia said nothing as they herded her towards the stairs, but she seemed worried only for Lysander, who was being led in the other direction.

"No!" Lysander shouted, desperately trying to free himself from the firm grasp of many guards. "Dahlia!"

She said nothing, just looked at the Elf with swelling pity.

"Dahlia!" Lysander shouted again, trying to fight the guards long enough to speak final words. "I am sorry! I am sorry for my prejudice!"

Dahlia nodded at him once in assurance, just before they were both taken beyond sight. Dominic took Ro away from the room, tugging at her leash. Roarden raised his hand to strike Reid again.

"No!" Ro screamed. "I'll do anything you ask, please!"

Roarden halted his threatening hand in mid-flight. A smile grew on his face, having finally gotten what he had been waiting for. He headed for the stairs to his chambers.

"You heard her," Roarden said over his shoulder. "Gather the Hoods."

Roarden seemed to change his mind, deciding to linger. Reid spat on the floor, in too much pain to think. Roarden had dug his fingernails too deep. Reid's eyes were black in an attempt at saving his own life, keeping his lungs going, and trying not to lose so much blood.

"Don't you want a pretty suit like Tyler's?" Roarden asked as he paced thoughtfully around the room. Reid glared up at Roarden as if he couldn't believe he'd have the gall to ask.

"I'm not much of a joiner," Reid huffed.

"Not even if I lifted your curse? Gave you freedom?"

"Oh, like you did for Tyler?" Reid retorted, his wheezing quite loud.

"Then would you serve me to save your life?" Roarden asked, now circling Reid's table like a hovering vulture waiting for its prey to take it's final breath.

"No," Reid refused.

"Then," Roarden when on. "Would you do it to save Rowena's life?"

Reid paused, and looked up at Roarden with a harsh glare, neither accepting nor denying that one.

"Getting warmer?" Roarden assumed. "Alright… then would you do it to save Rowina's life… and the life of your child?"

Reid chuckled, his harsh stomach movements paining him, but he didn't care anymore.

"Idiot," Reid laughed. "I don't _have_ a--"

Reid stopped himself, his eyes widening as he began to comprehend, as Roarden grew an amused smile. Reid suddenly sensed a drastic change to the game.

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	26. Being Chapter the Twenty Sixth

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Sixth**

**-**

"Are we ready?" Roarden asked intently, as Reid gazed at himself in the mirror. A reflection Reid didn't like, one of his body in dark clothing, bearing Roarden's crest. His outfit was sleeker than Tyler's, made more for stealth than combat. He looked like an assassin. One of the bad guys. All his life he had been the rambunctious one, the troublemaker. He had never dreamed it would come to this. And because of the life he led, his reputation now worked against him. Caleb and the others would never believe he hadn't _really_ betrayed them.

"With Rowena's poison skin, be thankful I can't touch her like I wish to…" Roarden hissed at Reid. "Therefore she doesn't have a real use here. After she gets my… army into the Guild… I will release her… But with her… will go a curse… one I have put in her and in your little friends, the other Chosen One, in that lovely Vampiress, and in that Elf that won't shut up… A curse in their very blood… If you disobey me, I just say the word and… they will all die a very slow… very painful death. Put _that_ on your conscience."

Reid stared ahead like a soldier, expressionless and emotionless. He was nothing more than stone.

"And just in case you were thinking of betraying me like the disappointment that was Tyler…" Roarden began to circle him like a vulture. "Remember that I will be watching you at all times…"

With a forceful hand, Roarden motioned to the frosted glass cube sitting on a nearby table.

"Remember that with that Window Stone, I can see every… single… _move_ you make…"

Roarden put his face near Reid's ear, to make sure he didn't miss a word.

"And remember… If I see one I don't like… You will be the direct cause of the deaths of your dear friends… your lover… and your own child."

Reid winced, as if already in pain. He was doing this for them.

They were all that mattered now.

Caleb walked beside Fin quietly, as they made their way out of the Council Chambers and back to where Cody was waiting to teleport them back to the Guild. He wished he could ask Fin all sorts of questions, but he knew even she didn't have the answers. Only the Council seemed to know what the Prophecy entailed. Because 'futures were a fragile thing'. Knowing them might mess up the result. Caleb still thought it was a rigged deck.

When they reached their teleporter friend, Fin sensed trouble immediately, not only with her mental power, but by the frantic look on Cody's face. He rushed up to Fin and Caleb as soon as he spotted them.

"There's trouble at the Guild!"

"How do you figure?" Caleb wondered in surprise.

"Cody can sense things from where he last ports from for up to, like, an hour," Fin explained hurriedly, then turned back to Cody. "Take us back."

"I can't," Cody shook his head no. "There's no guarantee what you'll find there. I could be putting right in the seventh circle of hell!"

"I have a feeling that's just where we're needed," Caleb insisted.

Being inside the seventh circle of hell was not too far off base, as Cody ported them inside the Remembrance Hall, foyer to the Guild. The flames were already starting to encompass everything, and though the halls were empty and abandoned, once inside the Guild, it was utter chaos. Spectres mixed in and found strength from the smoke of the fires, Hoods battled with students and residents alike. The Hoods had the obvious upper hand, spreading through the building as quick as the inferno. It was all most of the students could do to escape alive. They had seemed to come just in time, though, for the Hoods were just starting their reign of terror, and orders were still being said to them, by their leader, who stood in the center of the lobby. He was hooded, cloaked in black and quite distinguishable from the crowd. He moved like a ghost, disappearing in a cloud of smoke and reappearing elsewhere to frighten more students outside.

"Caleb!" Pogue called downward from the second story, doing all he could to ward of surrounding Spectres by himself. To Caleb's right, Etrigan transformed into a beast of a creature, scaly and brown and more demon-like than anything. Fangs extended out of his mouth like a sabertooth tiger, claws came from his fingers like a bear, his eyes beady and black as night. In this form, he was ripping through Hoods and walls like they were mere paper. Daniel was swinging a Hood around by his feet and throwing them through a nearby window, his arms transformed into stone. Spectres slashed at his face like lashing bushes with sharp branches, but he powered on through like a tank. Kitty ran and jumped over the railing above, forming into a cloud of smoke herself, and mixing in with the rest of the Spectres. Every once in a while Caleb could spot her hand, or leg, or head, but never all at once, and never for more than a split second. Ro was present as well, uppercutting a Hood in the chin, then booting another in the chest. It was the last one to fall to the ground, echoing in the now empty room.

"Ro?" Fin called after her friend. "You're alright!"

Ro turned toward the voice, and ran to her friend. They embraced as the sisters they were. Kitty was right behind her. The others gathered around to regroup.

"Ro!" Kitty said in relief, hugging her friend tightly. "Where's Tyler? Is he okay? I mean, I'm really glad you're okay, but is he okay?"

"Fin," Ro said seriously, ignoring Kitty's questions. "I'm sorry. I had no choice. Roarden made me lead them in."

"But how's Tyler?" Kitty piped up. "Does he still hate the world? Does he hate _me_?"

"It's okay, I understand," Fin ignored Kitty too, squeezing Ro tight before letting her go to look her in the eye. "Not that I'm complaining, but Roarden just _let_ you walk out of there?"

"I know," Ro agreed. "I didn't trust it either, but I'm here now. He's got Tyler in a work camp--"

"Finally, you _tell_ me!" Kitty threw up her hands. "Oh, wait, my goodness, he's in a concentration camp? My poor baby!"

"Dahlia's stuck in her old nightmare job," Ro went on. "And Lysander's going to be executed at sunrise."

The sounds of the battle outside could be heard rumbling through the deserted halls. It was not a pleasant sound. But otherwise, silence overcame the room.

Fin frowned off out a nearby window. Through the commotion, she thought she sensed something-- some_one_-- familiar.

It felt like Reid.

But that was impossible, wasn't it? He was captured, back at Roarden's castle. And with Ro freed, Roarden had no leverage to use against Reid, especially not to make him become a Hood leader storming the Guild. Because of her doubts, Fin kept her feelings to herself, but still remained on guard.

-

Reid hid under his hood, hoping the others wouldn't recognize who he was. This costume was not one worn proudly. He would serve his purpose to Roarden and get out as soon as possible.

"_Reid_…" He heard a voice say in his head. It was Roarden's voice. "_Go back inside, go finish the job…_"

Reid skidded to a halt.

"I can't," he argued. "The other Chosen Ones and the Guardians are in there… She's too heavily guarded--!"

"_Go back_! _Unless you want them dead, go_ back!"

Reid now came to the realization that there was no way to avoid confrontation with his friends. He had to face them. He had to hurt them, in order to get to Sybilla, and to kill her. Reid turned around. It had to be done. He just hoped someday they would all understand.

A man cloaked in black walked in through the smoke and shadow, stepping up from the dark lower level of the dining hall. His heavy steps echoed, as he ascended upward, only a silhouette to those gathered in the lobby. First his head rose up into sight, then his chest, then his legs and feet.

"Yeah, real spooky, Scary Spice, I'm shakin' in my boots," Pogue called out to him. "Enough with the theatrics, huh? How about showing us the mug we're going to tear apart?"

The figure suddenly ran, dodging around them and his sights set on one destination goal. "Oh, no, you don't," Caleb growled, Using to grab at the Hood's feet, leg-locking him and making him fall flat on his face. Reaching into his coat, the man pulled out a small red marble and threw it at Caleb. Surprisingly, it exploded, throwing Caleb from his stance. The Hood scrambled up, quickly racing to the stairway.

"He's heading for Sybilla!" Fin declared. "After him!"

Kitty was closest to the stairs, and threw herself into the floor, phasing up at the bottom of the staircase to cut the Hood off. He was surprised, skidding to a halt, so quickly the force blew his hood from his head. His blonde head of hair shined through in all it's glory, making everyone present gasp.

"My God!" Caleb spat in surprise.

"Reid?!" Ro cried out.

"What the hell are you doin', man?!" Pogue called after his friend.

"_Do not respond to them, Reid,_" Roarden's voice was heard in his mind. "_They are not your friends anymore_… _Go on with your task_…"

Reid pulled out a white stick, glowing red on the end. With a swift swipe, a red beam came from it, disintegrating the ground below Kitty, making her crash below. She managed to phase into the floor below as to land safely, but it was enough to baffle the rest of them at his hostility

"Dude, what is your problem?" Pogue asked in bewilderment, checking down into the hole to make sure Kitty was okay. But Reid was already using his white rod to blow the roof, making it fall to those still remaining on the lower level. Fin, Etrigan, Pogue, Caleb, and Daniel barely managed to dive out of the way in time. Reid took the opportunity to take off up the stairs, leaving them in their shock. Pogue concentrated on flight, and lifted himself up to Reid's level, but by the time he got there, Reid was ready with a different colored marble, this time blue. He hurled it at Pogue, and as it hit the floor, it exploded into a large flash of light. Pogue yelled and held his eyes, calling out in pain and grabbing his face.

"My eyes! I can't see!"

"_You're holding back, Reid_. _Go for the killing blows_."

Reid gulped, hoping it wouldn't have come to that. If only they would just stay out of his way…

"Reid, what are you doing?" Ro said, just coming up the other set of stairs. Daniel and Etrigan were at her heels. Fin quickly attended to Pogue.

While Reid was stunned at what he had just done to his friend, Ro slipped into his way, blocking his path to Sybilla's study. She looked angry, her fists clenched and a harsh glare. Reid frowned at her, lifting up another red marble, which they had learned from experience was a grenade.

"You hurt your friends…" Ro said, nodding Pogue's direction. "You would hurt me too?"

Reid suddenly hurled the bomb at the ground, blasting a hole into the floor. Ro merely jumped away from it, utterly appalled at his impudence. With a yell, she punched him hard across the face, making sure he felt it.

Reid knew he deserved it, knowing he would've done the same thing in her stead, and more. He put his hand on his stinging jaw, hoping it wasn't broken. He furrowed his brow as he spat out a molar.

"_I gave you those weapons for a reason_," Roarden growled in his ear. "_Use them_."

Roarden had to be testing him. Reid frowned at Ro, wishing she had enough sense to let him alone. Reid gave her time to change her mind, lifting up his white stick slowly.

"I'm a titan, thus indestructible to virtually everythin'," she retorted. "That thing doesn't scare me."

Reid shot at her palm, causing her call out in pain, and yank her hand close. A singed burn was clearly seen, still smoking from the blast. He was making sure she knew this thing would surely kill her, if used correctly.

He raised the rod again without hurry, letting her know unmistakably that he was preparing to take another shot. He let the soft frequency sound of the charging rod fill their ears, as the tip gradually glowed brighter. Ro only replied by taking the glove off her unhurt hand, revealing her poison skin. She plainly showed him her bare palm and enraged expression.

Then her face softened, her hand drawing back and recoiling.

"Reid, what are we doin'?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper. "I don't want to have to live in any world where we have to be enemies."

She put her hands at her sides, and her head down in submission.

"If killing me is truly what you want, then just go ahead and do it."

Reid's brows met together in deep sorrow, touched by her actions. He lowered his rod.

"Ro…" he started, but was cut off by Roarden in his head.

"_What are you waiting for_?" he shouted. "_You have a headmistress to kill_!"

Reid searched his mind for options, but there weren't any. He had no choice. Reid looked to Ro standing before him, and he lifted up his rod.

"I'm sorry," Reid said sincerely, then fired.

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	27. Being Chapter the Twenty Seventh

Being Chapter the Twenty-Seventh

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Seventh.**

­-

Ro opened her eyes, blinking at the light. There was a sharp pain in her shoulder where she had been shot. But why wasn't she _dead_? She saw Fin, Caleb, Kitty, Daniel, Etrigan, and a blind Pogue all standing around her, with concerned looks on their faces.

"He was three feet in front of you, and he missed," Fin stated.

"He wasn't trying to kill her, just get her out of the way," Caleb realized with her. "He must've got those fancy toys from Roarden."

"Yeah, and maybe the motivation too," Etrigan agreed. "He's probably got somethin' on your kid Garwin."

"Well," Kitty shrugged. "I know _I'd_ love to continue this family meeting, but…"

"You're right," Fin stood up straight. "He's after Sybilla. Etrigan, make sure Pogue and Ro get to safety. Caleb and I will go after Reid. Everyone else, go help the students fend off the other Hoods outside."

-

Reid opened the door to the headmistress's study, facing the person he had come to respect so much in the past few days. Reid had witnessed the suffering of Aromesia firsthand, knowing very clearly why Sybilla started the Guild, and what she was fighting so hard for. The most anyone could ask for was freedom to do as they pleased. It was all Reid ever asked for.

Reid reached his right hand slowly over to his left hip, and drew out the deadly rod once more. He let it charge again, to be sure one shot would be all it would take. He didn't think he'd have the nerve to shoot Sybilla twice.

"I have been waiting for you," she said, as if tired and very sad. She seemed out of breath, leaning her weight upon a nearby table, and clutching her chest as if in pain.

Reid did not speak, as Roarden had commanded him. He gripped the hilt of the rod loosely in his hand, getting a feel for the weight of it.

"A Chosen One to lead…" Sybilla closed her eyes as she repeated her own Prophecy. "A Chosen One to find his strength, a Chosen One to fall to treachery, a Chosen one to meet his fate. Which are you, Reid?"

Reid did not waver, though there was a look in his eyes of extreme sorrow. She was making this much harder than it already was.

"He threatened Rowena and her child, did he not?" Sybilla said.

"_Kill her, Reid,_" Roarden commanded in his ear. "_Before she puts a spell on you…_"

Reid began to walk over to her, lifting his stick slowly. The red tip was shining at full capacity now.

"You must know something, Reid, before I die," she said. "Roarden is a man of deception. Nothing is as it appears."

"_Kill her NOW_!" Roarden said. Reid couldn't help but note there was a bit of desperation in his voice. "_KILL HER BEFORE I KILL _THEM!"

"I have seen your offspring, Reid," Sybilla said softly. "I have seen it grow and become tall and powerful. More power than this world has ever seen. Roarden wants this power as his own. He would not dare risk Rowena's life and losing this enviable power. So you see, you have nothing to fear."

Suddenly, the rod clinked to the ground, before settling still. Reid fell to his knees, overcome with grief. He could finally see the big picture, and how such a small loophole could have such a profound effect.

"Is it true?" Reid asked the voice in his head. There was only silence.

"Is it _true_?!" Reid repeated, but Roarden's voice was no more. That could only mean one thing.

It was.

Fin and Caleb burst into the room then, ready for anything, but froze at what they saw. Sybilla took a deep breath, and lifted herself straight, putting a caring hand on Reid's blonde head.

"You have found your strength," Sybilla said with a shaky grin. "Now go save your youngest Chosen One, before Roarden takes his rage out on him. He hates to lose."

Reid arose slowly, and nodded.

"I don't know how to apologize for something like this…" Reid said honestly.

"You are already forgiven," Sybilla assured him.

Reid nodded, staring at her with sadness, a bond exchanged between him that would last the ages, which only they would ever know of.

"Will you be alive when I get back?" Reid asked, his voice wavering through his sorrow. "I'm ready to take this all seriously now. I think I have a lot to learn from you."

"I need lie no longer to you," Sybilla nodded with a fond smile. "This will be the last we meet."

Reid nodded once more, and stood. He walked up to Fin and Caleb, exchanging looks of mourning. They each took long gazes as Sybilla, though didn't know what to say. Reid simply left the room. He marched out the door, a different man than went into Sybilla's study. He reflected on all her words. A Covenant member was going to die in this world today. Reid looked down at his rod, then holstered it. It deserved to be him, but he had a feeling that it wasn't going to be.

Caleb was next to follow out the door, but Fin lingered in the room, frozen, tears springing to her eyes.

"Sybilla," she breathed. "I would call you mother, if not only for lack of blood bonds between us."

Sybilla nodded and grinned softly, her gaze that of one who looked upon their child when they've discovered they have finally grown up, and that there is no more that parent could teach them.

"Caleb will be appointed to rule Aromesia, and he will need your guidance."

Fin nodded, honoring her words as a last request.

"When Roarden dies, your curse will be lifted," Sybilla reminded. "My Fenix _will_ rise again."

Fin resisted the urge to come forward and hug her. Grief and goodbyes would not be what Sybilla would want. She didn't believe in ends, only new beginnings. It was all Fin could do to tear her gaze from her dearest mentor, and walked out the door.

Once outside, Reid stood with his arms crossed, as if he had been waiting forever for Fin to join them.

"Let's go rescue Baby Boy before ol' Roardy makes a sex slave outta him or something," Reid suggested, leading them onward down the hall. Pogue caught up with them, Ro at his heels. They had clearly not taken orders well, and Etrigan didn't seem to care to argue with them. Cody trotted up at Etrigan's heels.

"So are we storming Roarden's castle now?" Pogue asked. "Is that where we're heading?"

"I get to go, right?" Cody piped in.

"'We'?" Caleb repeated. "Pogue, dude, you can't _see_. You aren't going anywhere."

"Hey!" Pogue stood up taller to Reid. Fin quickly pointed him and his accusing finger in Caleb's direction. "Who's a Chosen One? I do believe I qualify, man. And by the way, when you see Reid, because you know, _I_ _can't_… but if you do, you tell him if he's made me permanently handicapped, I'll have to even the odds with him."

"I'm right here, dude," Reid said shamefully, busy trying to detach Roarden's metal symbol from his chest. He ended up flipping out a blade and ruthlessly ripping it out. The sharp metal 'R' stabbed into the wooden floor like a fallen knife.

"And, I'll have to give you the sob story of how it was all a big blackmailing misunderstanding later. Until then, why don't you stay here and knit, huh?"

"Like hell," Pogue confronted Caleb, and Fin, again, pointed him in the right direction. "I'm a part of this Oath, Reid. I don't care if I have to take a seeing-eye dog and a Braille map, I'm _goin'_."

"Me too!" Cody jumped in again.

"He seems pretty set," Reid shrugged. "We're all going to die in this war anyway, why not go out in style?"

Caleb frowned at Reid. Though he was thankful to have him back, he was already tired of his pessimism.

"I'm going too," Fin announced. "You may be Chosen Ones, but we're the Guardians of the Chosen Ones. That oughtta count for something."

Kitty nodded firmly.

"I want Tyler back, probably more than you. I'm in love with the boy. I'm going."

"I say the same, only, you know, for Reid," Ro joined in. "And I want my chance at Roarden too."

"Uh uh," Reid shook his head no immediately. "Lady with my baby: You ain't goin' nowhere."

"Hello, _indestructible_?"

"Yeah, so indestructible I almost _killed_ you back there…"

"Wait," Fin said. "You guys are finally back together for _two_ minutes and you're _already_ fighting?"

"Would you rather us be making out?" Reid asked. Ro smacked him on the shoulder.

"Look," Ro said. "We're all ready for this, and we all would shoot ourselves before being left behind. So let's just save our breath and go already, huh?"

"Alright, let's go," Cody added enthusiastically.

"You're not going," all the Guardians commanded together.

"Maybe after you graduate, Cody," Fin said firmly. "Certified Guardians only."

"But--!" Cody began, but Fin gave him a look that said their decision was final. His shoulders fell in disappointment, but he gave no further comment.

No one voiced any more protests, but several were still frowning in dismay. Some of them sighed, then started to head for the door. Fin held onto Pogue, gently being his guide.

"Ro…" Reid tried one more time, but she only put up a hand in his face.

"Sugah, you _shot_ me. I think you owe me this much, at least."

Reid rolled his eyes, while Ro turned and headed for the door. On a whim, Reid grabbed at her hand, yanking her back to him and planting his mouth on hers.

"Thanks for the luck," Reid smiled, releasing his hold and leaving her to let her thoughts catch up. She was in utter bafflement, touching her hand to her mouth. For so long, it seemed, she had gone without skin-to-skin contact. Though she was overjoyed that she could finally be free to touch without fear of her curse, she was grief-stricken knowing it could only mean one thing: Sybilla was gone.

Fin went through the lobby into the library, reaching behind a bookcase and pulling a lever. The bookcase swung open to reveal another door.

"If we're going to storm Roarden's castle," Fin said, pulling the doorknob with some pride. "They might as well know who their fighting."

In the door was a walk-in closet of clothing and armor. Fin went directly to the back and pulled out body armor that bore the crest of the Guild.

"For Sybilla," Fin stated.

Caleb stepped forward slowly, and took the armor from her hands, slipping it over his peacoat. Pogue did the same, putting one on over his leather jacket. Reid, already wearing Roarden's armor, simply ripped off the Guild emblem from a nearby shirt and let his Power burn it onto his cloak. Caleb gave him a strange look of wonderment, and Reid just shrugged.

"I like the cape," he retorted as if that explained everything.

­-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	28. Being Chapter the Twenty Eighth

Being Chapter the Twenty-Eighth

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Eighth.**

-

Together, the band of Chosen Ones and Guardians alike marched across the entrance to Roarden's castle, alert and suspicious as to why the courtyards seemed utterly abandoned. It could not possibly be that Roarden had sent away every Hood he had to fight the Guild. So where was everyone?

They themselves had quite the band of Guild members themselves, with the Syren girls, the Chosen Ones, and also Daniel and Etrigan. They stepped off their Nohcs, that half-day's journey causing the beginning of night to fall by the time they arrived.

Then again, it was _always_ night around here.

Roarden's castle was simply a tower built of steel and stone on an ash ridden plain. The ash they walked on was ankle deep, and when they stepped into it they found themselves coughing on a cloud of dust. Save for a short, iron-barred fence, and a few barren black trees, it wasn't really too impressive a sight. A stone wall surrounded it, along with several scattered buildings numbered like housing cabins. From the looks of it, it could only be the remains of concentration camps.

Kitty's chattering teeth could be heard, as she chewed on her nails nervously.

"Afraid, Kiska?" Daniel asked her. She quickly shook her head.

"Of course not… uh, just, uh… cold."

Daniel smirked.

Once more of the thick fog cleared, they began to see bodies on the ground. A battle had gone on here. One many Hoods and citizens had died for. It was a ghastly sight, one Kitty had to turn away from.

"A rebellion?" Fin guessed, pointing out that there were more uniformed Hoods than there were dead slaves.

Then suddenly, Ro gasped, practically diving down to one of the bodies.

"Oh, my God!" Ro cried, instantly in tears and holding the dead man close. "Rems! It's _Rems_! He's… _dead_!"

Reid looked at Fin, who had a similar look of a furrowed brow in commiseration for the one they cared for. Kitty rushed beside Ro, joining her in weeping openly. Fin let them shed their tears for a few moments, the others exchanging glances between them.

"Ro," Fin said, softly at first, then stronger as she repeated it. "Ro, have to keep moving."

"But it's _Rems_, Fin," Ro stated, as if Fin didn't know that. "This is Rems we're talking about… and he's _gone_!"

"I know, hon," Fin said sympathetically, bending down to their level. "I know. But we have to do what we came here to do. To get the man who did this."

Ro sniffed loudly, forcing her face to a more stoic expression. She looked to Reid, helpless and sorrowful. Reid frowned, not knowing how to comfort her. So she cued him in, grabbing him around the middle and holding him tightly, burying her wet face in the crook of his shoulder.

Just then, the door at the base of the tower swung open, creaking ominously as it did so. Kitty squealed a bit and hid behind Daniel.

"Think he's expecting us?" Etrigan asked sarcastically.

"Well, he has a Window Stone watching my every move," Reid piped in, as Ro peeked up from her refuge in his arms. "I don't see why he wouldn't be."

"Who wants to go in first?" Caleb asked. "Should we draw straws?"

"Wait," Fin said, stepping forward, her eyes locked and narrowed at the newly opened door. "I sense something coming…"

The smell came out first, the smell of death in the form of red smoke. The sloshing like bare feet walking through shallow puddles of water was heard. It didn't take anyone long to figure out who was coming out. Kitty arose quickly and joined the others, who had barricaded themselves in a row, ready for battle. It took Ro a bit longer to rise, but as Roarden came out the door, her anger overcame her grief, and in her fervor prepared to fight as well.

"Come right in," Roarden's voice was heard out of the dark doorway. A crack of thunder, and Roarden's silhouette disappeared. Fin couldn't help but wonder if he was simply toying with them, setting them up for some sort of trap. It wouldn't matter even if he was. They were going to walk into that door, because they had to.

Fin bravely stepped forward, and the others soon followed her. Their steady march slowed when they reached the door, the darkness making them unsure. Though, to Pogue, the whole world was now darkness, and he prodded obliviously ahead. Fin tried to grab at him, but he was soon beyond sight and reach.

"Pogue!" Fin called out. She heard him stop walking, and turn to face her.

"_What_?" he asked in genuine confusion. As soon as he did, it seemed the power went back on, a huge light emanated out of the hall ahead of them, so bright it was blinding. Pogue was lifted off his feet, the light stabbing through him like a sword. His eyes scrunched tightly closed, as he called out in pain.

"POGUE!" Caleb and Fin yelled at the same time. Caleb tried to go after him, but Etrigan reached out and grabbed them both.

"You don't want the same thing to happen to you, do you?"

Fin gathered her power quickly, using her telepathy to pull Pogue away from the light. It took more than a bit of effort to get him out of that beam, him shouting in pain did nothing to help her concentration. She pulled him back slowly to them, making sure to place him gently on the ground before letting her concentration go.

"Pogue, are you alright?" Fin asked, though it was plain to see that he wasn't. He had a gaping hole in his side, bleeding profusely. He held it, but did nothing to show any more pain. He was trying to be strong. He looked to Fin with utter gratitude, holding onto her shoulder for support.

"A scratch," he assured her. "I'll be fine. Thanks for pulling me back, though, appreciate it."

"I told you that you shouldn't have come," Fin smirked.

Pogue stood up, further emphasizing that he was fine by accepting no help. Fin patted his shoulder reassuringly, and they shared a look that didn't go unnoticed by Etrigan.

"Guys, come on!" Kitty called at them. "I can phase us to the floor below."

"Below?" Reid repeated. "All of the tower is above us."

"That's used for a watchtower," Ro explained. "Roarden's real castle is completely subterranean."

With that, everyone grabbed a hold of Kitty, and fearlessly walked into the nearest wall. Phasing was a strange sensation, a tingling in their very bones. Sight was near impossible. Soon, they dropped to the floor below…

Right into the center of a roomful of guards and Hoods. Even Dominic, Duke, and Morty were present.

"Hello!" Dominic called out. "Nice of you to drop--"

"--_Don't_ say it," Ro put up a hand to stop him.

"Fin, _LOOK!_" Kitty shouted, barely spotting Morty hop off down a nearby hall with a shackled Cody over his shoulder. The young demon boy looked unconscious. Fin frowned at the fact that the gung ho, wannabe-Guardian hadn't listened to her orders to stay back at the Guild. But her disappointment didn't stall her for long, as the Hoods closed in with arms stretched at the ready to pummel them.

"Kitty, after him!" Fin shouted hurriedly. "He'll lead you to Tyler!"

"On it!" Kitty yelled, shifting into a barely visible form, and slipping into the solid wall nearest to her.

"I will follow Kiska!" Daniel called out, mowing through the crowd of Hoods like they were weeds with his rock solid arms.

Fin dared not use her power in such an enclosed area, lest she take down her friends along with her enemies. She felt helpless fending off a changling Hood, while nearby Etrigan held his own against a werewolf. Caleb, Pogue and Reid had joined forces and were sweeping a path through the dozens of Hoods to the widest hallway. Their powers had a profound effect on the weaker magics, them being no match against a power from Roarden himself.

"Fin!" Caleb called, reaching out to her with his hand. "We have a job to do!"

"Go on!" Etrigan prompted her as well. "I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

"Etrigan, no!" Fin snapped angrily. "No more lone hero-- we're in this together!"

"I'm cursed with immortality, Fenix," Etrigan smiled, as he converted his right arm into demon form and stabbed his long claw-like nails into an older Hood's belly. After he retrieved his hand, the rest of him converted into the red-brown demon he was, his skin tough as steel, his eyes flaming red, and his teeth growing into fangs. "You know I can't be killed in demon form," he roared, his voice different in this new body. "Go!"

No longer worried for her fiancée, Fin bravely grabbed Caleb's hand, as he joined his Covenant brothers in flight, lifting her up with him.

-

Kitty shifted through wall after wall, not knowing where she was going. The only marks of her path were the holes punch through walls, from Daniel following her. It told her she was going around in circles, just in case she didn't already know. Every black, stone, torch lit hall looked the same.

"Kitty," Daniel said, panting as he caught up to her. "I am suspecting that you do not know where we are going."

"I can't think straight," Kitty spoke quickly through her worry and frustration. "Too much pressure… I _have_ to find him…"

"Perhaps we should have asked for directions?"

A large blast to their right made Daniel cover his face to shield himself, while Kitty quickly went intangible. As the dust and debris settled, Kitty focused through the haze.

"Etrigan?" she asked. The demon stepped forward, putting the fog behind him.

"This way," Etrigan commanded, heading back the way they came. Kitty and Daniel followed him down one hall, then another.

"How do you know where you're going?!" Kitty called after Etrigan, but he just snorted in reply. The only time Etrigan snorted like that was when she was asking something about his past that he hated being reminded of. So, Kitty didn't pursue it further.

The two Hood guards posted at the door to the jail halls were no match for the three Guardians, with Daniel punching into the ribs of one and Etrigan throwing the other aside. Kitty phased them through the door, as a means to get through the thick steel faster.

The halls were set up in a dark row of cells, with one dim light flickering from a torch at either end. All the prisoners groaned and shuffled about their cells as if death would be a welcome escape. Kitty put her hand up to her face as a means to dilute the smell.

"Tyler?" she called out into the halls. Some of the prisoners perked up at the unfamiliar, kind voice.

"Kitty!" she heard a voice with a strong English accent shout back. A dirty, pale hand stuck out through the bars of a cell far down the way.

"Lysander," Kitty realized, and rushed over to the Elf. "Thank goodness you're okay."

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Lysander insisted. "Now get me out."

Kitty obeyed, holding him by the wrist and pulling him straight through the bars. The other inmates began to yell when they witnessed this, begging for freedom as well. Daniel got to work smashing in all the barred doors to the cells, releasing them of their cages.

"I saw Morty take Cody," Lysander informed Kitty. "They went that way. Tyler is in the next cellblock down, but he is heavily guarded. I wish I could stay to help you, but I must save Dahlia now."

Kitty raised an eyebrow, a teasing gleam in her eye.

"_Dahlia_, huh?"

"Yes," Lysander said firmly. "Dahlia. It has taken me _eleven_ _years_ to find it in me to tell her that I love her, and I will not let her go one more moment without hearing my well-practiced declaration first! Now, if you will excuse me."

Kitty waved him onward, bowing slightly in full accommodation to his demands.

"You are excused."

With that, they parted ways. Etrigan trudged after the elf, mumbling something about making sure 'lover-boy' didn't 'get himself killed'.

"But!" Daniel protested, his eyes on Etrigan worriedly. Kitty assessed the situation quickly, and put a hand on Daniel's arm.

"We'll be alright, Daniel," she repeated. "We'll soon have Tyler too. We can handle this."

Daniel looked at Kitty dejectedly, then nodded in understanding. Daniel led the way down the next hallway, Kitty close behind through the dim lit alleys.

"Tyler!" she called out, running past all the prisoners chained to the floor and walls. There was no answer to her calls, and worry began to overtake her.

"Are you seeking the Chosen One they brought here?" an older man said from the floor, clutching his tiny son close.

"Yes!" Kitty replied, kneeling next to him, phasing the shackles from his arm. "Could you tell me where he is?"

A shaky finger was raised, pointing over to a darker part of the dungeon. The corner was cloaked in shadow, covering the prisoner's face, but the shape of his dangling legs and hands were visible.

Kitty wondered for a moment why Tyler hadn't answered for himself when she called. Fear struck her then, those loosely hanging limbs making her wonder if there was still life in his body. Daniel put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she shook it off quickly.

"Tyler," she called once more. No movement came from him. She ventured over slowly at first, then when feeling came back to her numb mind she broke out into a run. Daniel only lingered behind.

"Tyler!' she called again, putting her hand out to feel for a face. She felt it, and his head fell into the light, making her gasp.

His hair was jet black, his blank eyes so pale she could barely say they were blue anymore. His skin was white and sickly, a grayish tinge to him she had not seen on anyone before… at least not in anyone _alive_…

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	29. Being chapter the Twenty Ninth

Being Chapter the Twenty-Eighth

**Being Chapter the Twenty-Ninth.**

-

"Tyler!" Kitty tried again, tears clouding her eyesight as the limp boy would not answer her. "Please answer me! Say something!"

"Kitty," Daniel called her back, fearing for her mental stability.

Kitty ignored him, patting Tyler's cheeks to try and arouse him.

"Can you hear me?" she asked him. That blank, dead stare gave her the willies, but she powered through it. She put her hand on his cold cheek, trying to give him some of her warmth.

Suddenly, he blinked, his mouth opening slowly, getting ready to form words. His eyes squinted at her through the dark, trying to recognize her face.

"Kitty?"

Her heart leapt to her throat as she threw herself around Tyler's neck, embracing him with the utmost relief.

"Oh, thank goodness, you're okay!"

"Ow, Kitty, that hurts," Tyler complained, trying to wriggle free of her tight grasp. She backed off quickly.

"Oh, Tyler, I'm sorry. How badly did they injure you?"

He groaned, as if that should give her some idea.

"They tortured me pretty good. I don't think I can walk."

"We'll get you out of here," Kitty promised, holding his hand and leading him forward, phasing him out of his shackles. He collapsed onto her shoulders, his legs weak and shaky like a newborn foal.

"I'm…" Tyler breathed heavily into her ear, his forced voice airy. "I'm so sorry. Reid took my place. He isn't the traitor, I am."

"I figured as much," Kitty confessed, as she helped Tyler to his feet again. Once he was standing steady, he rubbed his wrists, loving the feeling of freedom again.

"It's okay, Tyler," Kitty finished.

"No, it's not okay," Tyler said, holding his head up higher, his face stern and angry with himself. "It will never be okay. I was stupid, and I'm gonna be spending the rest of my life trying to prove that I'm worth a damn again! Does that sound like I'm OKAY to _you_?!"

Kitty cringed at his harsh tone, exchanging glances with Daniel.

"Well, geez, you don't have to _yell_…"

Tyler took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Gently, he grabbed a hold of Kitty's shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kitty. But I have to go. Do you understand me?"

Kitty nodded quickly, knowing quite well she couldn't change his mind, and feeling a bit afraid of his wild determination.

"Now, where's the rest of the Covenant?" Tyler demanded.

-

"This is it," Ro stated, bringing everyone before the gigantic double doors, more than two stories high, Roarden's emblem proudly boasted across the front.

"No guards," Fin observed. "He must be waiting for us."

"Gee, you think he's compensating for something?" Reid joked to Caleb as he motioned to the abnormally large doors, and they chuckled together about it. Pogue seemed lost, being blind to the impressive sight.

"I don't get it," he declared, but no one had the time or gumption to explain it to him.

"Whoever goes through this door," Caleb said, falling serious. "I wouldn't expect to be coming out again. If you want to stay behind, this is your last chance to do so."  
Ro looked around at the others, and shrugged.

"Looks like we're all comin'."

"The babymaker stays outside," Reid ordered Ro.

"Didn't we have this discussion already?"

"It's worth having again."

"Reid," Caleb said, putting one hand on the handle of Roarden's door. "She's your Guardian."

"Wait!" Kitty called out, running through a wall nearby. Tyler and Daniel, each attached to her by the hand, was phased in behind her. "We're going with you too."

"Tyler!" Caleb grabbed his youngest member and immediately embraced him. Reid folded his arms, staring at Tyler with hidden judgment.

"Glad you could make it," Reid said in an almost cynical tone. For a moment, Tyler and Reid had a conversation with their eyes. "Figured out what side you're on?"

Tyler nodded firmly and opened his mouth to speak, probably winding up for a good apology.

"We'll talk about it later," Reid finished it quickly. "We have an bad mofo's butt that needs kicking right now."

Fin and Caleb looked at one another, then back at the gang. Pogue was blind and badly injured, Tyler could barely stand, Ro was pregnant, and Reid was still pretty badly hurt from his torture session with Roarden. Only Fin, Kitty and Daniel seemed fully healthy and ready for what was coming.

"You just said we weren't coming back out of there," Tyler said. "So what if we die a little quicker than you?"

Caleb frowned at this, but nodded anyway.

"Here goes."

-

Roarden could only wait, on his high throne in the main chamber. He faced the wall, as if searching it for his answers. They would be coming soon. He could feel them near. Their footsteps could be heard marching down the hall. The large double doors creaked as they opened.

"Roarden," their leader called out. "Let's see if that Prophecy holds true."

Roarden arose from his seat, then turned around to face the four Chosen Ones standing before him, along with the three Syrens, and Daniel.

"This ought to be fun," Roarden laughed. "Surely you make it too easy."

Roarden stepped slowly down each stair of his throne, his hands spread open wide to them like a father welcoming sons.

"Don't you understand? I made you. You _are_ me, and I am you. I was foolish to think that creating you might make me invincible. You have been nothing but pests. Today, I will take back what power was mine to begin with."

"Whatever you do," Fin whispered to the Covenant boys. "Don't let him touch you skin to skin."

The boys nodded in reply, and put their fists up, preparing for the worst.

-

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	30. Being Chapter the Thirtieth

**Being Chapter the Thirtieth.**

-

The group of Guardians and Covenants took their stance, waiting for a moment in silence together, staring at the evil being before them. Roarden was ready for them, his crooked smile taunting them like a giant to ignorant children. He looked unready to fight, as if even the thought of it was amusing to him.

"You really don't get it?" he asked them. "I am the father to the Covenant. Without me, you will have no power. In fact, you won't even have life."

"He's lying," Fin countered to the boys quickly. "You all have been independent entities for hundreds of years, otherwise you wouldn't be able to pass the power on--"

"Do not… make me hhhhurt you…" Roarden warned.

"It's why he's so afraid!" Fin ignored him and pressed on. "Because you all have minds of your own! Because you have the ability to beat him with his own power--!"

"--SILENCE!" Roarden boomed, blasting Fin into the nearest stone wall with a sudden burst of energy. He made such a grand gesture of power look so easy. Tyler took one intimidated step backward, while everyone else stood their ground.

"I shall make this easy for you," Roarden announced. "Let me have the child she carries…" He pointed a decrepit finger at Ro. "And I shall let you all live."

Reid immediately took a protective stance in front of Ro, while Kitty laughed out loud.

"Oh, sure, would you like a nuclear warhead too?" she giggled. Her face fell quickly. "Never-mind."

Roarden did not take to being mocked, and his expression fell grave. He let his foot fall down one more stone step, glaring at his enemies in spite.

"I give you fair warning. That child is the only reason that woman still lives. I will have that child if I have to rip open her belly and pry it out with my own two _hands_!"

"Dream on, ugly," Reid defended. "Reid Junior's _mine_."

"Big talk for someone who's about to get pounded," Dominic's voice rang out, as he walked into the court hall, with Duke and Morty right beside him, along with several other confident Hoods, smirking in their arrogance. A swarm of spectres squealed and screamed in behind them.

"Attack!" Roarden shouted, waving them onward. The Covenant and Syrens put up their fists fearfully, seeing they were clearly outnumbered, but ready to go down with a fierce fight.

"Get them!" Lysander's voice rang out into the hall from behind them, as he led in Dahlia, Etrigan, Cody, and a few dozen prisoners.

Chaos erupted. Roarden seemed to disappear into the background, but Caleb wasn't going to let him off so easily.

"Come back and face me, Roarden!" Caleb called out. To his left, Kitty ducked under Morty's tongue, grabbing it with her hand and phasing it through the stone floor. Morty gasped and gagged in protest.

"Ew, I can't believe I just _touched_ that!" Kitty snarled in disgust.

Caleb weaved his way around the spectres that slashed against his face, trying to peer through the fog that was only getting thicker.

"ANY GUARDIAN AROUND ME, STAND BACK!" Caleb heard Fin yell out somewhere behind him. An earth-shaking boom blew, the fire and smoke making a mushroom cloud near the front exit. Caleb saw Etrigan, or what he figured was Etrigan in his red-brown demon form, thrashing through the spectres as if they had no effect on him at all. Etrigan disappeared back into the fog as quickly as he came. As Caleb pressed on in the direction he had last seen Roarden, Daniel cleared a path ahead, his stone form making him twice his size. Two swings threw two Hoods to the right and the left.

That's when Caleb spotted Roarden. The evil old coot was sneaking up behind Pogue, who was just trying to survive blind, throwing energy wherever his ears commanded. Roarden's hand was extended, dangerously close to the bare skin on the back of Pogue's neck, his finger twitching with electricity. Caleb's heart lurched at the impending hazard to his friend, who was surely beyond earshot.

"Pogue!" Tyler's voice called out of sight. Pogue seemed to somehow follow his senses, blasting behind him, grazing Roarden's stomach. The shot was barely a flesh wound to Roarden, but he reacted dramatically, grasping it with immense pain. Something that did not go unnoticed by Caleb. Tyler found Caleb and stuck close as to not lose him in the haze, as Pogue disappeared into the mist for a moment.

"What just happened to Roarden?" Caleb shouted so Tyler could hear.

"Same thing happened when I shot at him before," Tyler explained. "He's allergic to our power. Isn't it great?"

Caleb smiled, obviously pleased. His gaze found Reid's fighting by Ro nearby. Reid seemed to put two and two together, and nodded and smiled right back as if to say: "_Time to rock and roll_…"

Reid began to roll his hands in the air around his wrists, winding up a good amount of energy that soon resembled a wheel. Then he pulled the force of it back like he was throwing a fastball. He threw it with everything in him, letting it sail and slice through the haze like a knife to butter. Still, with all the force behind it, Roarden laughed it off, seeing it coming by a mile and deflecting it with ease.

"Is that all you have against me?" Roarden taunted. "I am not feared by all, dubbed Roarden Almighty… not for nothing!"

"Cocky little sucker," Reid muttered to Caleb.

"Yeah, remind you of anyone?" he shot right back.

"Hey, guys," Tyler and Pogue finally found the others and joined the group. "He deflects all our far shots and we can't risk getting close to him. Anyone have any bright ideas?"

Roarden faked a very impatient pose, waiting for the Covenant to make up their mind.

"I say we rush him," Reid offered. Tyler snickered his doubt, but Caleb put up a hand to stop him.

"No, I think it could work. All we need is one good shot. We take him on all four sides."

"Alright, we ready?" Pogue asked the others.

"Set…" Caleb coaxed.

"GO!" Tyler shouted, taking off into the battle. Four battle cries rang out into the gray mist, as they charged at Roarden from all four corners. Again, Roarden seemed to see them coming, but this time, chose a different form of retaliation. Instead of fighting back, he crumbled into the ground, a bluish energy radiating off his back and encompassing him like a cocoon. It was a magnetic force, pulling the four of them closer, scraping their shoes across the stone floor.

"What's going on?!" Tyler shouted in fear.

Fin froze, using a bit of wind power to blow away the haze to allow a proper view. She watched as the boys were being forced toward Roarden with a force to large to retaliate. She could sense the end coming.

"Oh, no," Fin breathed.

"REID!" Ro's voice rang out. She jumped out of nowhere and latched herself onto Reid's leg, hoping her strength pulling him might keep him away from Roarden. Reid's eyes fell blank, staring at Ro with surrender.

"NO!" Ro shouted at him with strain in her voice. "Don't take him, _please_!"

"Tyler!" Kitty called out.

But no matter what each Guardian did, with Fin blasting the blue orb around Roarden with blazes of fire, and Kitty trying to phase Tyler though the magnetic hold, and Ro using every ounce of her strength to pull Reid back, it was all to no avail.

It took so much exertion of their Power to fight being vacuumed in toward Roarden, that the age began to show on all four of their faces, the wrinkles and white hair obviously showing. The Power was wearing down their bodies, and they would die anyway if something was not immediately done.

Fin stopped her defensive forces, knowing it was hopeless, and gasped at the fate coming upon them. This was not what the prophecy declared. They were not supposed to fail…

Caleb scratched at the ground trying to keep away. Pogue was the first to be touched by Raorden's skin, his own flesh sizzling as he was evaporated into smoke. He was being turned into a Spectre as was the original form of the Covenant.

"NO!" Fin screamed, and her body burst into flames. A tornado of wind formed around her, making all Spectres close by dissipate. "GUARDIANS!"

Kitty and Ro were immediately at her side, just as Fin created a fiery cannonball from her palms. Kitty, though it burned her palms to touch it, screamed in pain as she carried it quickly over to Roarden, phasing it through his shield of energy and letting it strike him. It was enough to knock him senseless for a moment, so that the three remained Covenant members could standing, each lifting themselves into the air over Roarden.

Roarden could only glance upward for a moment, knowing that his time here was through. His eyes told them he know when he was defeated.

Three streams of energy poured from the arms of the Covenant boys, causing Roarden to sizzle and yell in his pains. He melted slowly, like butter on a hot day, dissolving into a pool of his own flesh. Soon all that was seen was his clothing and a pool of blood and bone.

And so it was done.

Gradually, the wrinkles dissipated off the faces of the three remaining Covenant boys. The Hoods and Spectres, seeing that their master had fallen, retreated into the darkness. All who lingered panted for loss of breath, looking to one another in disbelief. The Covenant looked to the Syrens, who looked to the rest of the Guardians. One by one, they began to kneel before the Covenant, paying their indebted respects to their new heroes. Tyler joined them, feeling greatly humbled and undeserving of their honor, but Kitty lifted him back to his feet. Ro ran up to Reid and threw her arms around him, crying for sadness for the loss of Pogue, but also joy for victory. They kissed with closed eyes, in a grateful passion they both were still alive. Caleb stepped slowly down the stairs of the circular altar on which Roarden had stood, Caleb's eyes only on Fin. The two of them had a common understanding, a feeling of great mourning, but also huge swells of relief. Caleb gave Fin a nod of gratefulness, knowing that without her, they would never have made it. She nodded back. Finally, the two leaders had found an appreciation for one another, and a common ground.

-

**One more chap to go! Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


	31. Being the Final Chapter

**Being Chapter the Thirty-First.**

-

Fin glanced at the clock, as the company of Guardians, Chosen Ones and all the students of the Guild stood around one of the only remaining rooms of the Guild… Remembrance Hall. Fin folded her arms to fight the chill. This place, being devoid of so many walls, now had such a draft. Four new statues were being constructed and would soon stand among their world's greatest heroes… perhaps right in the center… Soon, this would be only a museum. She let her hand graze the statue of Pogue. His plaque read: "_A Chosen One to meet his fate_." She would surely miss him, more than she ever thought she could.

But Fin's thoughts were interrupted by arguing among Ro and Reid, still deciding their final places after the Guild portal closed forever. After they left to make Roarden's castle into their new Guild, the portal in Remembrance Hall, and thus in Spencer Academy, would be closed. Fin had promised the Covenant that a new portal would be up soon in the new Guild, but they would have to locate another means to make one, and who knew how long that would take. It was a matter that didn't go over too well with Ro and Reid, who had been arguing about it since they had heard the news. Fin shook her head. It was practically fact that if those two weren't kissing, they were fighting.

"I couldn't take more than a few years," Fin promised Tyler, as they stood around the door back to storage closet number 88, at Spencer Academy. Their bags were packed and ready to go. Kitty also had bags packed, and looked excited to be going back to earth again. Etrigan stood near Fin, moody as ever, while Lysander and Dahlia held hands nearby, among the students.

"You've done more than enough here," Fin went on, hugging Etrigan around his shoulders as she spoke. "You deserve to go home."

"And miss the wedding of you and Etrigan?" Tyler said with a smile. "Never."

"Oh, you'd miss it anyway," Fin assured him. "We're eloping. We have too much to do around here to be bothered with ceremony."

Tyler shook his head. That was just like Fin to say.

Tyler then turned to Caleb, smirking at him in sudden humbleness. Tyler knew he would spend his whole life making up for his treachery to settle his own guilty heart, but in the eyes of Caleb, he knew he was already forgiven. Only the Guardians and the Chosen Ones would ever know of Tyler's true betrayal, and it was going to stay that way.

"I'm going to miss you, Caleb," Tyler told his leader, then hugged him around the shoulders. "Or should I say, 'Your Highness'?"

They had a chuckle about that, before falling serious once more.

"Rule good, huh?" Tyler prompted. "Be just. Don't off anybody's head unless they deserve it."

"You know it," Caleb promised.

Caleb and Tyler were soon distracted by angered voices and looked over at Reid and Ro, who were now becoming quite audible with their argument.

"I'm just saying I want to stay and finish the fight!" Reid insisted. "Those Hood's are still out there ruling the towns, I've seen them! My purpose isn't done!"

"We already decided," Ro insisted. "That's why you need to be on earth. Away from any more of this. You've served your use."

"What? Villain vanquisher and sperm donor? I'm not leaving the enslaved people behind. Why can't you stay with me here?"

"Since when did you become a hero?"

"Maybe after I saved the world? Just saying."

"And what if Roarden comes back like he did before?" Ro went on, a bit of pleading in her tone. "The best place to hide the baby is to get him out of this world altogether. Stay with me, Reid. You belong on earth, and I'll be right there with you."

"And have him play catch-up like me when we finally bring him back?" Reid shook his head. "No, Aromesia is my home now. They need me here. The baby should be raised here."

"Then I'll have to go to earth alone," Ro explained. "The kid on earth is our only choice for it's survival, don't you see?"

"I'll protect him. I'm a Chosen One, aren't I? And you're a Titan. Stay with me. We can protect him."

"Okay, first of all, we don't know the gender of this baby so stop referring to it as a 'him'."

"I can refer to him as a 'him' if I want to, because it's going to be a boy. I don't miss."

"What, are you psychic? No. The only psychic here is Fin. And she's going to tell you that the baby will be a girl. Won't she?"

Fin perked up at her name being called.

"What?"

"I _said_, tell this insufferable cad that this baby is a _girl_," Ro crossed her arms. Fin wiped her thoughts of distractions easily, then stepped up to Ro and placed a hand on her stomach. Fin couldn't help but smile at the liberty to use her powers at will, without the curse of anger and emotion fueling them. It was a wonderful feeling. Fin closed her eyes in concentration for a moment, then stood up straight once more. She cleared her throat and faced Reid.

"It's a boy," Fin complied. Kitty clapped.

"A Reid-let!" she exclaimed giddily.

"HA!" Reid huffed victoriously at Ro. Ro's face fell.

"_And_ it's another boy," Fin added.

Kitty clapped again.

"Double Reid-lets!"

"HA!" Reid retorted again, then stopped. Reid and Ro both gave Fin a funny look of confusion.

"_What_?"

"You're having twins," Fin declared with a large smile. "Congratulations."

Then she patted Reid on the back encouragingly, sarcasm dripping from her tone as she whispered to him:

"Have fun."

Reid's face fell to a look of horror at first, but as he grew used to the idea, let a smile grace his lips. His arms went behind his head as his expression went cocky, winking at Caleb with a strong hint of pride.

"Twins, she says," Reid repeated to make sure Caleb heard. "That's _two_ times the heir. Am I a straight shooter, or what? I think you all need to start referring to me as 'Reid the almighty sex god'."

"How about 'Reid the moron who forgot to use a condom'?" Caleb countered, then ruffled his friend's blonde hair just to annoy him further. He snickered and flicked Caleb's offending hand away from his head.

"Fin, we're almost out of time," Kitty observed, glancing at her watch. "It's five minutes to twelve."

"Time to go," Tyler said with a frown of sadness.

"Goodbye, Kitty," Ro hugged her best friend and roommate. Fin did the same. Tyler gathered their bags, and Kitty gave everyone one last sad wave, tears rolling down her cheeks openly. She clutched Tyler's arm before they left through the portal for good.

Ro made to go through next, but Reid just grabbed a firm hold of her arm stubbornly. Ro looked to Fin for help, her mouth paralyzed with sadness.

"Reid, if she stays and you raise a family with her," Fin said regrettably. "Everyone's going to know the kids are half Titan, half Chosen One. It's too dangerous for the children."

Reid furrowed his brow tensely, then firmly shook his head no.

"But I have to stay here. And I'm not letting her go again."

"That's very romantic, but highly impractical Reid," Ro said, sniffing back tears. "Just think about it. This won't be forever. They'll have the new portal up in like, a few years."

Reid wasn't reassured, and held firm on Ro's arm. They both knew she could easily break free of his grasp, but both stood frozen, staring deeply at one another.

"Ro," Fin said, eyeing the portal as it made way to close, swirling into a circular shape and shifting into dark colors of blue and purple. "Wrap it up…"

"You expect me to live without you for however many _years_?" Reid croaked. "That's bullshit, Ro. Marry me."

Ro's brow met in the center of her head, her eyes pitying him, her breaking heart surely feeling the same way he was feeling now.

"I will," Ro promised through her choking throat. "Eventually."

Then she kissed him hard and long on the lips, making sure he'd remember her by it. It was a sweet taste she tried to memorize, to take with her and last for the length of years they'd have apart.

"Ro," Fin tapped her on the shoulder, breaking the kiss. "I'm sorry, but it's closing. You have to make your choice."

Ro embraced Reid one last time, kissing him on the cheek, then quickly turned and left through the portal before she changed her mind.

Reid sighed.

"Eventually," he repeated to himself, not liking the sound of it. Caleb put a hand on Reid's shoulder comfortingly.

It seemed she changed her mind anyhow, as Ro appeared back through the portal, a large smile on her face.

"Screw it," Ro told Reid, then fell onto his lips once more. Reid closed his eyes as he held her tightly, kissing her repeatedly on the lips in raw gratitude.

"What do you say you and me get lost, huh?" Ro asked him. Reid couldn't deny he was inwardly ecstatic, and his emotions broke through on his face, smiling widely. He nodded, then picked up Ro like they were newlyweds already.

"Looks like you owe me fifty bucks," Fin informed Caleb. Caleb smirked that she had remembered their old bet on Reid and Tyler hooking up with her girls.

"Seems I do," he happily agreed.

They watched Reid stare at the fond woman in his arms all the walk down the hall and out the door. The small crowd that had gathered parted to allow them passage through. Caleb watched all he liked, knowing that this was the last he was going to see of Reid for a good long while.

"We can't ask where they're going," Fin told Caleb. "Not even we can know. For their own safety."

Caleb nodded in understanding. He'd miss his friends. His Covenant brothers. His fellow Chosen Ones. But they had all found their purpose, and served it. Tyler would eventually marry Kitty, and raise a family of his own on earth. Reid would go off in hiding with Ro, live off the land somewhere, and raise their children up in the culture of Aromesia. And wherever Pogue was, may he forever rest in peace.

Caleb looked at the place where the Guild portal once was, now only a solid wall. He let out a deep sigh, facing the finality of it all. He was here to stay. He wasn't sure how great he could be as new ruler, but with Fin to help, he was sure he'd be fine too. Only thing left to do was live happily ever after, as everyone deserved.

-

END

-

**Hope you enjoyed! Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


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